Early the next morning, despite Zhuge Yue heading out early and generously scattering large amounts of gold, he couldn't buy a single horse or hire a carriage anywhere in the city. The entire horse market, even the mounts of the traders themselves, had been completely swept clean overnight. Frustrated, Zhuge Yue tried purchasing other means of transportation—donkeys, mules, and even condescended to inquire about oxen.
The result, however, was the same.
Meanwhile, Chu Qiao sat in the upper-floor room of the inn, watching the comings and goings of the escort agency's personnel and their loud shouts. Her brows furrowed slightly as she sensed something amiss.
When Zhuge Yue returned, their eyes met, but neither spoke.
When the convoy left the city, it was far from the four or five hundred attendants Chief Escort Yu had mentioned. The front of the procession had already exited the city gates, while those at the rear hadn't even mounted their horses yet. There were well over two thousand people, with vast quantities of supplies, provisions, gold, silver, jewels, and goods loaded onto more than three hundred carriages. Behind them stretched an endless line of women and children, dressed in luxurious clothing, bustling and chaotic. Carriages crowded together in a grand and spectacular scene.
Chu Qiao and Zhuge Yue were assigned to the very end of the entourage, in a relatively shabby carriage that had clearly just been purchased, still carrying an unpleasant odor.
Their worries were entirely unnecessary, as their current status afforded them no opportunity to approach the young master of the Liu family.
In the morning, Chu Qiao had followed behind a few servants carrying luggage and caught a distant glimpse of a man in a lake-blue brocade robe boarding a carriage under the protection of a group of guards. The weather in Anbai was already quite warm, but the man wore a large cloak. His figure was somewhat slender, and the wind hood half-covered his face, obscuring his features. Yet that partially visible silhouette in the morning mist instantly startled Chu Qiao.
Unconsciously, she halted her steps, watching the retreating figure until it boarded a lavish, spacious carriage. She remained motionless for a long time.
"What's wrong?" Zhuge Yue, walking ahead of her, turned back and asked in a low voice.
"Oh, it's nothing." Chu Qiao smiled self-deprecatingly and shook her head, as if trying to dismiss some unrealistic thoughts. "Let's go."
The carriage slowly rolled out of Anbai City. Chu Qiao leaned against the window, lifting a corner of the curtain to peer outside through her thin veil.
"Oh, by the way," she suddenly remembered something and handed a small bundle to Zhuge Yue, saying calmly, "I asked the inn attendant to buy this for me this morning."
Zhuge Yue took the bundle and opened it to find a wind hood for blocking dust and sand. Though somewhat out of season, it was finely crafted from thin material, so it wouldn't be too hot to wear.
"It's always good to be cautious," Chu Qiao said softly, then smiled faintly. "Though we might not even have a chance to use it."
The procession of over two thousand people and hundreds of carriages stretched endlessly along the post road. From their position, they couldn't even see the front of the convoy.
Zhuge Yue set the wind hood aside but kept his hand resting on it.
"The merchants of Xianyang are fleeing."
Chu Qiao smiled slightly and turned to him. "You noticed.""As war between Yanbei and Daxia looms, these old foxes are all preparing to flee to Biantang. They dare not depart from Xianyang in large groups, so they'll disperse and only regroup at Anbai before heading together to Tang Capital. Those carriages and horses likely carry their lifelong accumulated wealth."
Chu Qiao nodded faintly and said softly, "Yes, they want to stay out of the conflict."
Unlike Zhuge Yue, Chu Qiao suddenly felt a wave of panic. She knew the identities of Xianyang's major merchants and how they had built their fortunes over the years. And now, they were about to escape.
Remembering the figure she had seen earlier, Chu Qiao's heart suddenly felt as if set ablaze. She desperately wanted to jump off the carriage and run to see. But she laughed self-mockingly, shook her head, then leaned against the swaying carriage and slowly closed her eyes.
Chu Qiao, are you too tired? Since the Zhenhuang uprising began, this journey has worn you down, making you entertain such unrealistic fantasies?
Yan Xun, they're about to escape, right before my eyes. What should I do? How do I stop them?
What should I do?
It was already midsummer, with long daylight hours. The group traveled until the sun dipped westward before setting up camp in a valley to cook dinner.
Chu Qiao and Zhuge Yue were assigned a small tent—low and cramped, where even sitting up would make them bump their heads.
They shared the outer camp with some servants. Upon inquiry, they learned this caravan included not just the Xianyang Liu Clan, but also the Wang, Jia, Ouyang clans, and others.
After a day of jolting travel, Chu Qiao grew increasingly frail. The tent's air was stale, so Zhuge Yue helped her outside to lean against a short tree stump. He bought a freshly hunted rabbit from a guard, lit a fire, and began roasting it. Soon, the savory aroma filled the air, tantalizing appetites.
Tearing off a piece of meat, he brought it to Chu Qiao's lips. She opened her mouth to take it but winced as Zhuge Yue flicked her forehead. The man said sternly, "It's hot!"
"Oh," Chu Qiao smiled understandingly, puffed her cheeks to blow on the meat twice, then delicately accepted it with upturned fingers. The delicious flavor made her thumbs-up. "I never knew you had this skill."
"Learned it during my years in the mountains," Zhuge Yue replied casually, drawing a dagger to slice the rabbit into small pieces, handing them to Chu Qiao one by one.
As night fell, sunlight gradually yielded to darkness. She sat amid verdant grass under a starry sky, cicadas chirping, occasionally accompanied by returning nightingales and cuckoos. The valley was serene, while distant guards bustled about, their clamor blending with a peaceful warmth.
Chu Qiao took a deep breath, smiling intoxicatedly like an innocent child, and suddenly sighed, "How nostalgic!"
Zhuge Yue casually asked, "Nostalgic for what?"
"For this feeling," Chu Qiao leaned against the stump, her expression calm and smiling as she said quietly, "For tall grass, green trees, camping in open fields, everyone gathering to cook over a fire, then sitting around a bonfire after meals to chat, drinking a little wine, eating wild game. For days without worrying about tomorrow or fighting for survival."Zhuge Yue watched her quietly and said, "Have you ever lived such a life before?"
"Of course," Chu Qiao lifted her head with a gentle smile, "It was long ago. I was with three good friends in a valley just like this, eating roasted rabbit just like this. But our skills were better than yours, and we had more seasonings."
"Hmph!" Zhuge Yue snorted disdainfully and turned away.
"Xiao Shi learned cooking from a famous French chef. Her skills are top-notch, especially when it comes to roasting meat."
Zhuge Yue raised an eyebrow and said in a deep voice, "French? Is that a restaurant?"
"Huh?" Chu Qiao smiled and nodded, "Yes, it's a restaurant."
Zhuge Yue curled his lip disdainfully, "Never heard of it. Must not be a famous one."
In the distance, a huge bonfire burst into flames with a roaring sound, creating a lively atmosphere.
"Continue."
"Huh?" Chu Qiao was taken aback.
"Continue. We're idle anyway." Zhuge Yue lowered his head and continued cutting the rabbit, "Tell me about your friends."
"Oh," Chu Qiao nodded. For some reason, her mood felt heavy tonight. Perhaps the actions of the Great Alliance Society elders had hurt her, and she needed to distract herself with other thoughts. As the grass swayed and the night deepened, she spoke calmly, "Their martial skills were all better than mine."
Zhuge Yue raised an eyebrow, "They're all women?"
"Yes," Chu Qiao glanced at him sideways, "You look down on women, don't you?"
Zhuge Yue remained silent. Chu Qiao continued, "But that was back then. If we were to compete now, I'd probably be about as good as them."
"Xiao Huang excelled at shooting, well, let's say archery. Xiao Shi was the best at close combat—she once took down seventeen agile men by herself. Mao'er wasn't as skilled as either of them, but when it came to killing techniques, she was the best."
Zhuge Yue slightly raised an eyebrow, "What about you?"
"Me?" Chu Qiao chuckled, "I'm an all-rounder."
The man shot her an impatient look, "Such boasting."
Chu Qiao wasn't angered. She turned to him and asked, "Zhuge Yue, do you have any wishes?"
Zhuge Yue frowned as he looked at her, then finally snorted coldly, "I wish you'd roll back immediately and never let me see you again, and spend the rest of your life hiding in the valleys of Yanbei."
"Impossible," Chu Qiao smiled as if they were discussing something ordinary, "Even if you don't attack Yanbei, we will eventually take it."
"Then I hope Yan Xun is disgraced and ruined, Yanbei is swallowed by the Batuha Family, and you end up wandering and begging at my doorstep."
Chu Qiao glared at him, "What a vicious man."
"But that's impossible too." Chu Qiao chuckled softly, "If that day ever comes, I'll probably have died in battle. I'd never be out begging."
Zhuge Yue was taken aback and immediately fell silent."At that time, the four of us also asked this question." Chu Qiao's gaze grew distant as she quietly recalled those memories stored in her mind. Resting her chin in her hands, she said softly, "Xiao Shi appears cold on the surface, but she's actually the most fragile among us. She loves collecting dolls—the expensive kind—and always ends up stretching her monthly budget. Her greatest wish was to receive a large compensation after leaving the organization, then marry an ordinary, good man and become a good wife. She had a childhood friend, and if not for what happened later, she might have gotten her wish."
Chu Qiao's smile suddenly turned sorrowful. She pursed her lips slightly and said, "Xiao Huang was the liveliest, came from a well-off family, and had a strong adventurous spirit. She was planning to climb a high mountain back then, wishing to carve her name at the summit."
"Mao'er's wish has always been simple—to make money." At this, Chu Qiao suddenly chuckled lightly. "She's the most greedy for money and has bold courage, willing to take on any business. She never had much loyalty to the organization either. In her words, it was just about making a living."
Zhuge Yue raised an eyebrow slightly. "What about you?"
"Me?" Chu Qiao was momentarily taken aback. After a long pause, she finally said slowly, "I didn't know. I was planning an operation at the time. I just hoped the mission would go smoothly and I could complete the task soon."
Zhuge Yue snorted, his tone rather disdainful.
Chu Qiao turned to him and said calmly, "Actually, I've always been like this. I don't have many wishes. I'm very dogmatic and rigid in how I live. I just hope my beliefs are correct, worth holding onto as a lifelong goal to strive and work for."
"For example..." Chu Qiao thought for a moment before continuing, "If you owe me something, I'll take it back. If I owe you something, I'll repay you."
"I actually prefer that Mao'er," Zhuge Yue said indifferently. "The organization you mentioned is the Great Alliance Society, right? If there's a chance, you could introduce her to me."
Chu Qiao shook her head quietly with a bitter smile. "It's strange that I'm actually telling you all this."
Zhuge Yue snorted. "It's not like I forced you to say it."
Just then, careful footsteps sounded in the distance. Both being highly alert, they looked up simultaneously to see a little girl of about five or six years old. Dressed in a red jacket with two small braids, her chubby face stared longingly at the rabbit meat in Zhuge Yue's hand while sucking her finger.
They knew that besides the masters of the great families, there were also many servants in this place, some of whom had brought their own families. This child was likely the daughter of one of the servants.
Zhuge Yue frowned and was about to speak when Chu Qiao suddenly waved her hand. "Come here!"
The child suddenly beamed, spreading her small arms as she wobbled over.
The little girl's eyes were like grapes—large and bright. Chu Qiao smiled and asked, "How old are you?"
The child glanced nervously at Zhuge Yue before timidly replying, "I'm six."
"What's your name?"
Seeming to find this sister very approachable, the child removed her finger from her mouth and said, "My name is Xingxing."
As soon as the child spoke, both of them froze slightly.Zhuge Yue cast an impatient glance at the child and said sternly, "Go tell your parents they're not allowed to use that name anymore!"
The child was startled. Seeing Zhuge Yue's grim expression, her lips suddenly trembled, and her blinking eyes grew moist as if she were about to cry.
"Why are you scaring a child!" Chu Qiao frowned, pulling the child closer and speaking to her softly. Within moments, she had the child laughing happily.
Sitting nearby, Zhuge Yue watched Chu Qiao and the child giggling together and felt a strange sensation. The Chu Qiao in his memory shouldn't be like this—she was calm, silent, unflappable, clever, and cunning, seemingly devoid of the emotions typical of ordinary women. But since their reunion, he had seen more and more facets of her. Perhaps, he thought with a self-mocking smile, she had always been acting before. Treating him as an enemy, she had never shown an ounce of genuineness. Even now, she might not be entirely authentic; otherwise, why would she still keep her weapons close and remain cautious despite her severe injuries?
There had never been trust between them. Perhaps, as she had said, what was owed must be repaid.
A cold smile curled Zhuge Yue's lips, but his eyes grew increasingly somber.
Yet, damn it all, he was truly captivated by this current feeling.
Just then, the child suddenly approached him, tugging playfully at his sleeve and pointing at the remaining half of the roasted rabbit in his hand. In a childish voice, she asked, "Are you still eating it?"
Impatiently, Zhuge Yue handed the food to her. The little girl beamed with joy and said to him, "You're so nice!" Then she returned to Chu Qiao, plopped down on the ground with her chubby legs stretched out, and generously shared the rabbit meat with Chu Qiao.
Zhuge Yue was momentarily taken aback. The child had said he was nice? The man chuckled coldly to himself—he had long been unworthy of such a word.
After a while, someone called the child's name. She sprang up and ran toward the person, glancing back to wave goodbye to Chu Qiao and Zhuge Yue, her sweet laughter echoing in the evening breeze.
Chu Qiao pointed at the retreating child and turned to Zhuge Yue with a resolute smile, saying slowly and deliberately, "My wish is that one day, every child under heaven can laugh like that."
The night breeze carried the faint scent of grass. In the scholarly traditions of Daxia, where a hundred schools of thought contended, he had heard such statements countless times. But at this moment, he found himself at a loss for a rebuttal—not because of the inherent meaning of her words, nor because of her determined tone and hopeful expression, but because he suddenly felt that perhaps she could truly achieve it.
Though he immediately dismissed the thought.
Little did he know that years later, the world would undergo earth-shattering changes because of these words. A fire would be lit upon the old system, blazing fiercely as the torchbearer strode step by step toward her ideal, leaving a trail of bloodshed in her wake. Countless would fall like wheat, becoming sacrifices to the old order.
And by then, the figure on the high platform would be pale-faced, her lips no longer bearing the hopeful smile she wore at this moment.On the path ahead, there were so many trials and tribulations—to reach the other shore, one must break through wind and waves, wade across icy rivers, endure the baptism of storms, the tempering of war, be honed and forged, pass through betrayal, treachery, slaughter, despair, and overcome all weaknesses and kindness in one's nature, until finally becoming a sharp sword. Only then could one ultimately stand atop the summit of the king.
Chu Qiao watched the receding figure of the child ahead and suddenly recalled that vow she had made many years ago, in front of the Nine Nether high platform amidst the swirling snow, when she lifted her head and gazed at the Holy Gold Palace hidden within layers of shadows.
"In truth, I've always been this way. I have few desires, my principles are rigid, and I'm quite inflexible. I only hope that my beliefs are correct, worthy of a lifetime of struggle and effort."
…
Just as silence enveloped the scene, a panicked, desperate scream suddenly pierced the air—like a thunderclap exploding in everyone's ears!
Zhuge Yue sprang to his feet, but at that moment, countless cold blades were abruptly drawn from their scabbards, followed by hundreds of archers charging into the poorly guarded outer camp.
In an instant, blades gleamed coldly, and tensions escalated to a critical point!
"You!"
A young guard captain with a haughty expression pointed at Zhuge Yue, the only one standing in the area, and said coldly, "Kneel!"
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