Deep autumn had passed, and the harsh winter was approaching. After a frost, the air carried a biting chill. During the early mornings and late evenings, the cold crept in, forcing everyone to add extra layers of clothing. Charcoal fires burned all day in the rooms, and the days drifted by slowly under the overcast skies.
After noon, someone knocked at the gate, but no one answered for a long while. Huan'er, who had been resting in her room during the midday break, hurriedly threw on a coat and rushed out upon hearing the noise. At nineteen, she had become the head maid of Green Mountain Courtyard. When she opened the door, she saw Yue Qi standing there, his straw raincoat dusted with frost, his brows and eyes tinged with a bluish pallor. Startled, she asked urgently, "Why are you in such a wretched state?"
Yue Qi didn’t answer but asked instead, "Where is the young master?"
"The young master went to the plum garden on the back hill this morning. Qingxi and Jia'er are with him. Is something the matter?"
"Take me there quickly."
Seeing the anxiety on Yue Qi’s face, Huan'er slipped her arm into the last sleeve of her coat and hurried ahead with quick, small steps, saying repeatedly, "Follow me."
But as soon as she took a step, Yue Qi moved aside, and a young lady stepped forward into the courtyard. She wore a robe of pale green southern brocade, embroidered with faint, cool-toned water patterns. Though the design was simple, the cut was elegant and slightly tailored to her slender frame. Her delicate eyebrows were like distant mountains, lightly powdered, and her beauty was breathtaking, though a touch of pallor added a hint of melancholy and fragility.
"Young Miss, please come this way," Yue Qi said respectfully. Noticing Huan'er still standing frozen, he urged, "Hurry up!"
"Oh!" Huan'er snapped back to attention and quickly led the way.
Yesterday’s frost and snow had caused the plum blossoms in the garden to burst into full bloom all at once. White and red flowers bloomed in dazzling pairs, their brilliance captivating the eye. A thin layer of snow covered the ground, casting the surroundings in a pristine white. The sun cast only a faint, hazy light, like withered willow tips scattered in patches over the mottled stone path.
Qingxi and Jia'er stood at the corner of an old plum tree, holding cloaks and peering into the distance, whispering to each other from time to time.
As Huan'er ran in, a sudden gust of wind stirred the scene. Through the dense shadows of the plum blossoms, she caught sight of a man in dark blue robes sitting gracefully on a stone chair. He held a wolf-hair brush, his gaze fixed on the cold plum blossoms as he painted. A small brazier sat beneath an inkstone box, with premium Huizhou ink simmering above the boiling water. His wind hood partially concealed his face, and his robes fluttered gently. His eyes were like black jade, his lips as red as cinnabar. As the wind swept through, plum blossoms drifted down onto his shoulders, creating a moment so mesmerizing it seemed to steal one’s breath away.
It was too quiet. The chill in the air made the young maid momentarily lose herself in thought. Since the young master’s return this time, he seemed to have grown much thinner. Though he still carried that aloof and solitary demeanor, Huan'er, having served him for so many years, sensed something different. He would drift off while speaking, pause absentmindedly during meals, and sometimes appear deeply engrossed in a book, yet when she tidied the study in the evening, she’d find the page still turned to the same one from the day before.
She had heard that the young master had been defeated in the family’s internal strife, losing his power in one fell swoop. Blamed by the master of the house, he was punished by kneeling in the ancestral temple for three days and nights before being placed under house arrest in Green Mountain Courtyard, forbidden to leave.The young master had always been eccentric in his ways and didn't get along well with his cousins in the clan. When he fell from power, countless people secretly rejoiced, yet not a single soul stepped forward to speak on his behalf. Now that the eldest young master had returned to the estate and taken up the position of logistics officer for the Northern Expedition, it was clear that the fourth young master had fallen even further out of favor. Huan'er supposed the young master must be troubled by this matter.
Ah, such a proud man suddenly reduced to such a state. Huan'er frowned and bit her lip slightly. Truth be told, the young master wasn't a bad person—compared to other masters outside, he was infinitely better. Many people were simply intimidated by his outward appearance.
Snatching the cloak from Qingxi's hands, Huan'er scowled and scolded, "Fools! What use are any of you?"
With that, she hurried forward and draped the silver fox fur cloak over Zhuge Yue's shoulders, saying, "Young master, it's so cold outside. You should return indoors."
Zhuge Yue looked up, his eyes as clear and lonely as a cold deep pool. Without uttering a word, a single glance from him conveyed everything.
Huan'er promptly stepped back respectfully and said, "Yue Qi has brought a young lady who says she has urgent business to discuss with you."
Zhuge Yue raised an eyebrow slightly, set down his writing brush, and said, "Let them in."
As the woman entered, winter plum blossoms scattered and snowflakes danced through the air. When their eyes met, even someone as aloof as Zhuge Yue appeared slightly startled. His brow furrowed faintly as he stood up, his wind cap falling back. He watched quietly as the woman approached through the snowy plum grove.
"Little Four."
The woman smiled faintly. By the standards of this era, she was no longer young—around twenty-four or twenty-five—and life clearly hadn't treated her kindly, with faint wrinkles already forming at the corners of her eyes. Her voice was soft as flowing water as she stepped forward slowly to stand before Zhuge Yue. Smiling gently as she always had, she said, "Still the same temperament. On such a cold day, while everyone else warms themselves by the fire indoors, you insist on staying out here in the wind. Is your body made of iron?"
In that instant, time seemed to reverse and flow backward. The person remained the same, the tone remained the same, yet in the Netherworld, it felt as though everything had changed. Zhuge Yue's lips parted slightly as if he meant to say something, but the words ultimately froze unspoken. In the space of a breath, the man's expression returned to normal. He stepped back leisurely and said quietly, "Madam Helian."
The woman's smile instantly froze on her lips. She bit her lower lip lightly, revealing a trace of a sorrowful smile, and finally sighed, "Aren't you going to invite me to sit?"
Zhuge Yue nodded. "Please have a seat."
Yue Qi and Huan'er promptly withdrew. There was warm milk tea on the charcoal stove, but Zhuge Yue instructed Huan'er to bring a pot of clear tea instead. The young maid quickly went to do so with efficient movements.
The woman smiled and said, "Thank you for remembering that I dislike the gamey taste of milk tea."
Zhuge Yue didn't respond, maintaining a quiet silence. The woman seemed slightly awkward and remained thoughtful for a long moment before saying, "I've heard about everything. Are... are you doing well now?"
Zhuge Yue smiled faintly and replied politely, "Well enough."
In the silent plum garden, only the sound of wind rustling through plum branches and snow falling could be heard. The woman sighed softly. "Little Four, it's been nine years since we last saw each other. Don't you have anything you want to say to me?"
Zhuge Yue responded calmly, his tone devoid of any emotion. "I wasn't aware of Madam Helian's visit today and failed to welcome you properly. My apologies.""What Lady Helian?" The woman gave a light, bitter snort, her tone tinged with indescribable self-mockery and sorrow. "The Helian clan has collapsed, and when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. If not for my aunt, I wouldn't be sitting here alive right now."
Zhuge Yue's brow furrowed slightly as he lowered his head in silence. The woman lifted her gaze, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I know it was my aunt who came to beg you back then. You were the one who pulled strings at the Ministry of Justice's exile bureau, retrieved me from the slave registry, and cleared my status as a slave. Otherwise... otherwise..."
As she spoke, a string of tears suddenly fell from her eyes. Zhuge Yue's frown deepened, and he said gravely, "You needn't dwell on this matter. Even without Second Madame's plea, I would have helped."
"Adding flowers to brocade is easy; offering fuel in snowy weather is hard. When the Helian clan was prominent, everyone in the family scrambled to curry favor with me. But once we fell from grace, they trampled me into the mud, eager to cast me out. Only you would extend a helping hand at such a time."
Whether out of pity or not, Zhuge Yue sighed softly and asked, "What are your plans now that you've returned?"
The woman shook her head gently, her gaze downcast. "I don't know. My aunt has aged, and the second branch has long been empty. Though she adopted me back then, my name was never entered into the family register. Besides, I'm now a convicted woman. I'll take one step at a time. If there ever comes a day when there's no way forward, a length of white silk will suffice."
Zhuge Yue's expression darkened slightly. "I have some modest properties outside. If you don't mind, I can have Yue Qi make arrangements for you."
The woman's eyes lifted slightly as she studied Zhuge Yue carefully, feeling as though life were but a fleeting bubble, everything hazy like a dream.
Time had flown by in the blink of an eye. The stubborn, solitary youth of the past had long grown into a man. The man before her was elegant and aloof; even with his brilliance temporarily suppressed, it was impossible to conceal the sharp, stunning light about him. His spirit was as serene and profound as a secluded deep pool, utterly incomparable to the common folk outside. Recalling all she had witnessed and experienced over the years, she suddenly felt an overwhelming weariness and disillusionment. She let out a slow, deep breath and said softly, "I know that even if there's no place for me under heaven, you would never turn me away."
Her words were spoken with such calmness, yet they fell like a stone into an icy, fractured deep lake. In that dazed moment, it was as if they had returned to twelve years ago—a young orphan girl, her family destroyed, came seeking refuge only to be rejected at the gate. Second Madame, her own birth aunt, was too timid and fearful to lend a hand. A ten-year-old boy, returning from the martial arts school, happened upon her crying at the courtyard entrance. The boy stood at the periphery watching for a long time, observing his brothers, sisters, and over a dozen aunts collectively bullying this little orphan girl whose family had lost its power. He watched quietly, his gaze serene, unlike any ordinary child his age.
Finally, amid everyone's scornful remarks, the boy abruptly and unexpectedly stepped into the crowd, took the girl's hand, and led her toward his own courtyard. The First Madame shouted reprimands from behind, but the boy casually tossed a silver note to the steward and said indifferently, "For her meals," before striding away without looking back.Then, she settled down in Green Mountain Courtyard. Under the protection of that ten-year-old child, she lived peacefully for three years. Later, through his arrangements, she was adopted by the Second Madam and gained the status of a legitimate young lady of the household. It was precisely this status that later enabled her to climb the social ladder, marrying into the Helian family as the wife of the eldest son of the main branch—even though the husband she married at just fifteen was a man in his fifties.
He was still young back then, somewhat aloof but after all just a child, not as cold and detached as he would later become. Over time, they developed a bond akin to family, relying on each other through thick and thin.
That child had been a stubborn little fellow. She still remembered how, to tame a wolfhound, he had fought the dog bare-handed for an entire day, getting his hands and feet bitten, until he finally subdued it.
Old Master Zhuge asked him, "Why didn’t you let the dog trainer handle it?"
He retorted, "Is this my dog or his dog?"
From then on, his standing among the men of the clan changed dramatically, and he was never looked down upon despite his mother’s early death.
The Second Young Master of the main branch, Zhuge Yi, had always been the troublemaker of the family. As the son of the First Madam and backed by the Eldest Young Master Zhuge Huai, he was domineering and arrogant. Seeing that Zhuge Yue was favored by Old Master Zhuge, he repeatedly caused trouble for Green Mountain Courtyard. Once, he threw a tantrum, demanding the dog. When Zhuge Yue refused, he begged the First Madam to intervene. Taking advantage of Zhuge Yue’s absence at the martial arts school, the First Madam took the dog away. Upon returning and learning what had happened, Zhuge Yue went straight to Yellow Mountain Courtyard. Entering, he found the dog circling at Zhuge Yi’s feet, eating bones. Without a word, he walked over and stabbed the dog in the neck, splattering blood all over himself. Everyone gasped and fled, leaving only him crouching there, silently stroking the convulsing dog’s head, quietly staying by its side until it breathed its last.
At the time, she thought, "What a vengeful child." Only later, as she grew older, did she slowly come to understand—it wasn’t vengeance he harbored, but an intolerance for betrayal.
Yet in the end, she betrayed him brutally, chasing after dreams of wealth and glory, leaving the vast, cold Green Mountain Courtyard entirely to him.
But fortunately, she had returned now. She remembered everything from the past, knew all that lay hidden beneath his proud, aloof exterior, and she believed everything would be alright—as long as she was given another chance.
She stood up, walked over to Zhuge Yue, bent down, and gently straightened the collar of his heavy fur coat. Pressing her lips together, she said softly, "It’s too cold outside. Sit for a while, then go back. It’s been so long since we last met—I’ll cook for you today and make something delicious."
Zhuge Yue looked at her expressionlessly. His gaze wasn’t particularly cold, but it held a distant indifference that made her instinctively uneasy. Sensing that something was about to go wrong, she quickly stood and said, "I’ll head back now. Another day—I’ll come see you another day."
The wind rustled the trees, snowflakes drifting down with the cold plum blossoms. As the woman turned to leave, Zhuge Yue suddenly called out, "Wanwan."
Wanwan didn’t turn back. Hurriedly, she said, "No need to see me off. I can go on my own."
"Wanwan!"The voice from behind suddenly turned stern, as if having seen through her thoughts. The woman immediately halted, her face turning pale.
Zhuge Yue gazed into the distance, his eyes calmly fixed on her slender back as he spoke indifferently, "I don’t recall you disliking the fishy taste of milk tea. I had the servants change the tea because I found it nauseating and wanted something lighter."
Nothing could have made his intentions clearer. Wanwan’s body trembled slightly, her face pale. Without a word, she turned and left, as if she had never been there.
Zhuge Yue’s expression remained unchanged. He picked up the wolf-hair brush, dipped it a few times in the inkstone, and continued painting.
A short while later, Yue Qi approached. Without looking up, Zhuge Yue asked in a low voice, "How is it?"
"I’m not sure, sir. I just returned from the north and saw the young lady standing at the gate. The gatekeeper was blocking her from entering, so I brought her in."
"I was asking about the war situation in the north."
Yue Qi was momentarily taken aback before quickly replying, "Heavy snow has blocked the roads, so no exact news has come through. However, I’ve heard from passing merchants that Beishuo City is completely surrounded. Yanbei’s internal politics are unstable, and they are conscripting heavily—even child soldiers as young as ten have been given weapons. Several snow disasters have worsened Yanbei’s plight, with countless civilians starving to death. Uprisings have broken out in many places. The war situation is extremely favorable for Daxia."
Zhuge Yue’s brush paused abruptly, and a drop of thick ink fell onto the pristine rice paper. He remained silent, but a faint frown creased his brow.
"Young master, the young lady is in Beishuo City. We have people in Yanbei’s interior. Should we lend her a hand at a critical moment, at least to ensure she doesn’t fall into enemy hands?"
Zhuge Yue raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone as cold as the snow on the frontier, "Help her? What right do I have to do so?"
Zhuge Yue stood up, his tall figure standing amidst the red and white plum grove, exuding an elegant and dignified aura. He took two quiet steps forward before suddenly turning back and saying in a low voice, "Don’t meddle so much in the future."
Cold sweat beaded on Yue Qi’s forehead as he quickly bowed and replied, "Understood, sir. I will not speak out of turn again."
"I was referring to the matter with the young lady."
Zhuge Yue strode away, with Huan’er, Qingxi, and others quickly following behind. Yue Qi stood in the plum grove, feeling as though the clothes on his back were soaked through.
The young master has been in a foul mood lately. I must tread carefully.
Yue Qi reminded himself of this when a sudden gust of wind lifted a corner of the rice paper on the stone table. He hurriedly stepped forward to hold it down. Glancing at the painting, he was momentarily stunned. Everyone had assumed the young master had been painting plum blossoms all afternoon in the grove, but the paper depicted a bustling, lively street. With a few light ink strokes, the vendors and pedestrians on the street were vividly rendered—people coming and going, colorful lanterns ablaze, creating an unusually prosperous scene.
Daxia imposed restrictions on commerce, and such liveliness was rare except during festivals. In the center of the painting, a woman sat atop a tall horse, her figure fading into the distance. Only her receding back was visible—slender yet upright, standing out starkly against the surroundings, carrying a faint, desolate sense of detachment.The painting was sketched with broad ink strokes, appearing ethereal and indistinct, lacking in detail. Yet, the object held in the woman's hand stood out clearly—a long rod with a thin line, from which dangled something with long ears and round eyes, resembling a rabbit at first glance.
The scenery remained as it was in the past, but the people were no longer the same. That bustling street still existed, lively and vibrant during the Lantern Festival, yet the child from back then had long since grown up.
Yue Qi stood amidst the plum grove, sighing softly as he carefully rolled up the scroll. The east wind scattered the petals, and a flurry of blossoms withered and fell.
Huan'er followed Zhuge Yue back to his room. As soon as they entered, she hurried to brew tea and heat water. Zhuge Yue, in the inner chamber, suddenly called out the maid's name. The young maid scurried in, panting slightly, and asked, "Young Master? What is it?"
"Take that down."
"Ah?" Huan'er was taken aback. She saw Zhuge Yue pointing at a painting hanging directly opposite his bed. It depicted a young girl, no more than eleven or twelve years old, with bright eyes and a sweet smile. She wore a soft yellow blouse and a light green skirt, looking utterly charming and adorable. The painting had hung there for over a decade, the paper slightly yellowed with age. Everyone knew it held great significance to the young master, and they always handled it with care. No one expected him to ask for it to be taken down today.
"What? Can't reach it?"
"Ah? No, I can." Huan'er quickly fetched a chair, climbed up, and carefully removed the painting from the wall. Holding it high above her head, she asked, "Young Master, where should I put it?"
Zhuge Yue took the tea handed to him by Qingxi, took a sip, and said casually, "It's yours now."
"Ah?"
The young maid nearly stumbled in shock. Seeing that Zhuge Yue was not joking, Huan'er nervously rolled up the scroll and, with a troubled expression, retreated from the room along with two other maids.
Zhuge Yue walked over to the desk, which was covered by a large lid. Removing it, he revealed an enormous sand table on the desk, depicting mountains, rivers, and terrain in meticulous detail. Small flags in five colors—red, yellow, blue, green, and black—were densely clustered in the northwestern corner.
He sat down and began strategizing in the air. After nearly an hour, Zhuge Yue frowned slightly and said slowly, "It's not Beishuo. They're going to attack Chiyuan Ferry."
—————*—
"It's not Beishuo! The Daxia Army's next target is Chiyuan Ferry!"
A sharp-tongued woman frowned and said, "It's been three full days, and the Daxia Army hasn't launched any proper assaults—only small-scale harassment and skirmishes. This is abnormal, highly abnormal. Given Daxia's military strength, if they combined their forces, they would have launched a fierce attack on Beishuo long ago. The current situation suggests that the Daxia Army's internal commands are inconsistent, and the forces gathered here are not their main strength..."
"Any new battle reports?" General Cao Mengtong seemed not to have heard her, yawning as he spoke to his other subordinates. "Have the Zhao Qi brothers been scared out of their wits by our million-strong army? Have they forgotten the mission their father sent them here to accomplish?"Everyone burst into laughter at once. Over the past three days, the Yanbei Army had won every battle, while Daxia's forces crumbled like tofu at the slightest touch, scattering like loose sand. Zhao Qi and Zhao Yang's troops seemed at odds with each other. The Northwestern Allied Forces clearly leaned toward Daxia's rising star, the Fourteenth Prince Zhao Yang, while the Batuha Family's army trailed behind Zhao Qi. In every charge, one side would disrupt the other's formation, or one would veer into the other's flank. They had no solid battle formation to speak of—merely putting on a show, with neither side willing to be the first to sacrifice their strength as cannon fodder.
Before the Yanbei Army could even loose their first volley of arrows, the Daxia troops were already shouting, "We can't hold! We can't hold!" as they hastily retreated. Their performance was so pitiful that even a bunch of teenage recruits could have done better. Beishuo City housed over 600,000 regular troops and more than 300,000 militia—a veritable million-strong army. Initially, everyone had been somewhat apprehensive and fearful of Daxia's iron-blooded elite soldiers, but after a few battles, even the farmer-soldiers now dared to venture outside with their hoes.
"It seems we won't even need to wait for His Highness to return before the Daxia dogs retreat all the way back to Zhenhuang."
Everyone burst into laughter. Lu Zhi, a general under Cao Mengtong, shouted, "In my opinion, we should split our forces in half right now and go assist His Highness in capturing Meilin Pass."
"That won't be necessary," another retorted. "We might as well follow the fleeing Daxia troops all the way to Zhenhuang!"
"Right!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone echoed in agreement, chattering excitedly as if they had already achieved a great victory.
"General Cao!"
Chu Qiao suddenly rose to her feet, her eyes flashing like lightning, her voice low and grave. "Generals, esteemed officials, if what I said earlier was not clear enough, I do not mind repeating it! To this day, we still have not located the enemy's main force. All the charges and assaults we've witnessed have been small detachments of fewer than ten thousand troops. Although the central army's banner flies among them, we have not seen the enemy's core cavalry. The heavy snow has blocked our intelligence channels—we don't even know where the enemy has set up camp. This is nothing short of a farce! I may not be familiar with the Batuha Family or the Northwestern Allied Forces, but I know the Third Prince Zhao Qi well, and I have clashed directly on the battlefield with the Fourteenth Prince Zhao Yang. Zhao Qi is a cautious man—prudent, meticulous, and never one to launch a reckless, full-scale assault without vigilance. Even if he were to attack, his methods would not be so clumsy. As for Zhao Yang, though young, he is a senior commander trained at Daxia's Jiangwu Academy—far-sighted, well-versed in strategy, and strict in military discipline. His tactics are unpredictable; he excels in positional and siege warfare, with extensive experience in commanding large-scale battles. This man is tenacious, adept at ambushes, and known within the Daxia army as the 'Viper.' It is utterly impossible for him to carry out such suicidal attacks!"
"I urge you all to think carefully. Daxia has dominated for nearly a century—how could their strength be so meager? They are deceiving us, lulling us into complacency! If my deductions are correct, Zhao Qi and Zhao Yang are certainly not among the troops facing us. There is more than one route into Yanbei. If I were the Daxia commander, I would cross the Helan Mountains and use the Changyin Mountain Pass as a breakthrough point to attack Chiyuan Ferry. Once they gain a foothold there, they could strike from both sides, and Beishuo would fall without a fight! Fortunately, though we've wasted three days, there is still time. If we dispatch 200,000 reinforcements to defend Chiyuan now, we can rely on the terrain to hold off the Daxia army. The window of opportunity is fleeting—I beg you to consider this carefully!"
Silence. Deathly silence.
Everyone looked up at this woman clad in military attire. She stood alone in the vast conference hall, her back straight, her eyes blazing, leaning slightly forward with a deeply furrowed brow. Her expression was stern as she gazed at the crowd, faint traces of hope and anger flickering in her demeanor.The wrinkles on Cao Mengtong's face twitched slightly as he suddenly stood up and walked out the door without a word.
This was truly the perfect way for a commander to express his emotions. In no time at all, the vast room was completely empty except for Chu Qiao. She let out a long sigh, slumping weakly into a chair as she propped her forehead with her hand, the corner of her eye twitching rhythmically.
Entrusting nearly a million lives to this ragtag bunch was practically suicide for their own army. The quality of the Yanbei Army had deteriorated to such an extent that letting a group with no combat experience command large-scale operations was an unimaginable disaster. Did Yan Xun know about such conditions in the army? If he were here, he could rely on his authority to suppress it, but what could she do to turn this around?
These old fellows from the Great Alliance Society—when it came to quarreling, debating, causing trouble, and fighting, they were more ferocious than anyone. Their slogan-shouting was unparalleled, and their ability to incite civil unrest was first-rate. But asking them to lead troops into battle, to devise combat strategies, to see through the enemy's shallow military defenses—damn it! That would be a waste of their talents!
Chu Qiao's anger surged uncontrollably within her. She had already sent seven groups of messengers to notify Miss Yu, yet not a single one had returned. If no one with enough authority showed up soon, this battle would undoubtedly end in Yanbei's defeat.
The setting sun cast a bloody glow, and outside, soldiers could be heard singing cheerfully, interspersed with the clear, innocent laughter of children. Chu Qiao didn't know how long such songs would last, just as she didn't know how long those outside would survive. If she had an army, even just a hundred men, she could immediately arrest those despicable officers. But she had none—the guards Yan Xun left her had all been dispatched to find Miss Yu. Now, she didn't even have a single messenger left.
"Should I sneak in tonight and take out all those old fools?"
The thought flashed through her mind, and Chu Qiao frowned in frustration. If she had an AK assault rifle, she might consider the feasibility of that approach.
As darkness gradually fell, Chu Qiao slowly rose to her feet. The bright moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the floor. In the darkness, her silhouette appeared thin and lonely, weighed down by profound helplessness and desolation.
Just as she stepped out of the city guard's residence, she saw several young soldiers running toward her in a panic. The leader bumped right into her, and only upon noticing her fine clothing did he suddenly realize his mistake, dropping to his knees with a thud and apologizing repeatedly.
These men were former serfs, still unaccustomed to Yanbei's reforms. Whenever they encountered officers on the road, they habitually knelt and kowtowed in greeting. Chu Qiao noticed that these young soldiers were mere children—the oldest no more than twelve or thirteen, the youngest perhaps not even ten years old, their bodies shorter than a rifle. Each carried a wooden stick with an iron strip attached to serve as a bayonet. Such weapons would be unable to withstand even a single enemy assault on the battlefield. Daxia's military blades were the sharpest in the world, capable of easily piercing all armor and effortlessly slicing through the so-called "bayonets" in these children's hands.To call them soldiers would be more fitting to call them a group of beggars, yet they formed the crucial force of Beishuo's million-strong army. Chu Qiao felt a profound sense of helplessness, as if she had fallen into the sea and been entangled by seaweed—no matter how she struggled, she couldn't swim to shore.
Chu Qiao frowned deeply, her heart feeling as though it were being tightly gripped. After Yan Xun left, Cao Mengtong had massively recruited troops, gathering all the refugees within a hundred-mile radius. Women were forced into military brothels, men enlisted in the army, and the elderly vied to become laborers. In no time, Beishuo had turned into a devilish hell. This batch of officers from the Great Alliance Society acted like beggars who had suddenly become emperors above all others—their brutal actions could almost make the nobles of Daxia feel ashamed. Chu Qiao had attempted to advise them several times but was repeatedly turned away. After she executed a few soldiers who bullied civilians, those unwilling to be enslaved either fled the city or sought refuge in the headquarters. Now, that place had become a sea of people.
This was Yanbei's free regime. These were the leaders who had fought for Yanbei's independence over the years. And this was the future and hope that the people of Yanbei had fervently supported with all their hearts!
Chu Qiao took a deep breath. The suffering masses had welcomed their own destroyers with drums and gongs!
Her fists clenched tightly, as if she wanted to crush something to pieces. When Yan Xun returns, when he comes back, she would definitely...
"Ma'am," a timid voice called from a child at the front, "Are you Lady Chu from the headquarters?"
Chu Qiao looked down and saw a child no more than eleven or twelve years old, with arms so thin they seemed like they could snap with a little force. His face was pale and malnourished, but his eyes sparkled with the lively glow of youth, black and round as they darted about. He wore a tattered coat over a padded jacket, already so worn that the cotton stuffing was showing.
"How do you know me?"
"You're the only female officer in the army!" the child soldier said happily. "Ma'am, we've all heard about you—you're a good officer!"
The children behind him immediately crowded forward, chattering without shyness: "My sister is in the headquarters! You saved her! Do you know her, ma'am?"
"My mother is there too!"
"Ma'am, we saw you behead that soldier the day before yesterday. You were amazing!"
"Yeah, ma'am, say something to us! Teach us a few skills! We're about to go to the battlefield!"
"Please, ma'am, say a few words! Teach us how to fight the enemy!"
"Ma'am, just say something!"
Looking at the faces of these children, barely in their teens, Chu Qiao suddenly felt as if her heart had stopped beating. She began to doubt her beliefs, her values, the righteousness of her actions. She even wanted to turn and rush into the city guard's office to pursue the horrifying thought she'd had earlier in the meeting room. But thinking was one thing—she just stood there, unmoving, doing nothing. The torchlight cast a bright, bloody red glow on her face.
Her voice was low and hoarse, filled with suppressed emotion, as she spoke slowly and deliberately, "When you charge, don't run at the front."Then, as if unable to bear it any longer, she immediately turned and strode away swiftly. She left behind only a group of children staring blankly at her retreating figure. The young soldiers scratched their heads in confusion, watching her back and wondering: Why does what the adult say differ from what the officers say?
Just as she reached the corner of the long street, Chu Qiao stopped in her tracks. She truly lacked the courage to continue facing those children’s eyes, nor could she bring herself to encourage them to do their best, to inspire them to serve their country loyally and win this battle. She had thought herself tempered by war into something as hard as steel, but now she realized she was far from it.
"Lord Cao finally managed to win such a victory, yet you insisted at the meeting that it was only because Daxia deliberately feigned weakness to lull everyone into a false sense of security. Naturally, he didn’t want to believe you."
A cold voice suddenly sounded beside her ear. Chu Qiao immediately turned her head and saw Xue Zhiyuan leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, looking at her sideways with an expression that seemed somewhat gloating.
Chu Qiao was now filled with disgust for these local officers of the Great Alliance Society. She snorted coldly and turned to leave.
"Has His Highness given up on us?"
Just as she took a step, Xue Zhiyuan suddenly asked a shocking question. Chu Qiao immediately halted, slowly turned back, her gaze sharp as a knife, her voice low: "What did you say?"
"His Highness and Mr. Wu are among the few military leaders native to Yanbei. They took the elite troops of the First Army to attack Meilin Pass together, yet left no one to defend Beishuo, leaving a ten-day gap for the main force of the Second Army to clash head-on with the Daxia Army, mutually depleting each other. A military expert like Miss Yu merely holds Blue City without reinforcing Beishuo. A strategist like you, Lady Chu, holds no real authority. The entire Beishuo City has fallen into the hands of a bunch of military incompetents. Heh, if not for seeing that you haven’t left Beishuo, I would truly believe that His Highness has decided to abandon the Second Army."
In an instant, it was as if a bolt of lightning struck her mind. She had considered this possibility before but was unwilling to believe it.
What kind of person was Cao Mengtong? What was the Second Army really like? What was the Great Alliance Society truly made of? Could Yan Xun not know? What was his true intention in attacking Meilin Pass at this time? Was it genuinely to catch the Daxia Army off guard at Meilin Pass, avoid the crisis of fighting on two fronts, and outflank the Northern Expedition Army by taking a detour through the western route? Or was it to create this ten-day gap for the Northern Expedition Army and the Second Army to exhaust each other?
Otherwise, why would he hand military authority to Cao Mengtong? Why not leave Mr. Wu to hold Beishuo? Why send her to Blue City under Miss Yu’s protection? Why had none of the seven groups she sent to find Miss Yu returned?
What was the reason behind all this? Could it truly be, as he said, all arranged by Yan Xun? With the goal of depleting the main force of the Second Army, using Daxia’s hand to solidify his own position in Yanbei?
But for such a goal, to disregard millions of civilians and endanger Yanbei—was it really worth it? Could Yan Xun truly do such a thing?
"However, even if His Highness is clever, Lord Cao is no fool. In ten days, those hundreds of thousands of militia will surely hold out. By the time His Highness returns, only the civilian army will have been depleted, while the main force of the Second Army remains unscathed. His Highness’s plan isn’t as clever as he thinks.""In my homeland, groundless suspicion of one's superior is punishable by military law!"
The girl raised an eyebrow and suddenly spoke coldly.
Xue Zhiyuan was momentarily stunned, then heard Chu Qiao say sharply, "There's no need for your attempts to sow discord. Even if Yanbei is internally unstable and the Great Alliance Society is embroiled in power struggles, His Highness would never stake the entire Beishuo City as a sacrificial pawn! Even if everything appears as you say, I believe he is not the kind of person who would resort to any means for power and profit. From a strategic perspective, His Highness's counterattack at Meilin Pass was a perfect ambush—tactically flawless! The fact that Miss Yu hasn't replied must be due to reasons unknown to us. This battle concerns the very survival of Yanbei. Only the blindly foolish would engage in power struggles and deceit at such a time. If Yanbei falls, its regime will vanish in an instant, and we'll all end up on the path to the underworld. If you have so much time, why not train the new recruits? It might save you from a miserable death in the future!"
Xue Zhiyuan's expression turned icy as he retorted coldly, "If you're so confident, why have you repeatedly sent messengers to notify Miss Yu? If it's truly as you say, three days would be more than enough for a round trip from here to Blue City. Why has Miss Yu still not appeared? If Miss Yu hasn't received orders from above, do you think she would stand by and watch Beishuo being mismanaged like this without intervening?"
Chu Qiao's heart sank, and she was about to argue when she suddenly heard the rapid approach of a warhorse. Everyone on the street scrambled to make way as the rider shouted, "Lady Chu! Where is Lady Chu?"
"I'm here!"
At the sight of the man, Chu Qiao's face lit up with relief. She stood on her toes and called out, "I'm here!"
The horse galloped to a halt, and the man dismounted, rushing forward in a few strides and exclaiming loudly, "My lady!"
"What happened? Why are you only returning now? Where are the others? Did you see Miss Yu?"
"My lady, we encountered bandits on the road. All our brothers were intercepted by the outlaws!"
"What?"
Chu Qiao and Xue Zhiyuan exclaimed simultaneously. Chu Qiao asked in disbelief, "What bandits could be so bold? Your group numbered over five hundred in total—how could you be intercepted by bandits?"
"My lady, though our numbers were not small, the enemy was far greater. They had over seven thousand men."
"Nonsense!" Xue Zhiyuan snapped coldly. "You were careless and now shift the blame to bandits. Yanbei is filled with righteous armies everywhere—where would a band of over seven thousand bandits come from? This is clearly an attempt to evade responsibility!"
The guard straightened his back, his expression stern and resolute. "Lord Xue, though we brothers may lack talent, we are elite troops who have followed His Highness through countless campaigns north and south. Even in death, we would not flinch. If there is a single falsehood in my words today, may I be pierced by ten thousand arrows and die a wretched death!"
Chu Qiao's face turned pale as she spoke slowly, word by word, "What about the first group? The team escorting my sisters to Blue City—were they intercepted too?"
The guard's expression darkened immediately. He kowtowed to the ground and said mournfully, "This subordinate is incompetent. I beg for your punishment, my lady."
Chu Qiao took a deep breath, thinking of the women of the Jing family and wondering how terrified they must be. She asked gravely, "How are they now? What do those bandits demand? Have they harmed any of our people?"The guard immediately perked up and quickly replied, "No, not a single one was injured. They ambushed us, and even our wounded brothers were few. Originally, they were very aggressive, threatening us to deliver a message, but after learning we were under your command, their attitude improved greatly."
Chu Qiao was taken aback and asked, "What did you say?"
"Sir, those people didn't know who we were. They intercepted our men just to find someone to deliver a message. They said they wanted to see you."
"Wanted to see me?"
"Yes."
Chu Qiao frowned deeply and asked, "Who is their leader?"
"That man is in his thirties, extremely valiant in battle. He doesn't seem like an ordinary bandit at all—more like a soldier with formal training. Their entire unit is highly disciplined, with excellent individual combat skills and well-equipped, yet they aren't wearing standard military uniforms. They refused to reveal their identities, only saying they meant no harm and that you would recognize them once you met him."
Chu Qiao frowned in contemplation for a long moment before suddenly declaring, "Prepare the horses. We're going to meet him."
"You're insane!" Xue Zhiyuan grabbed her arm. Despite their longstanding adversarial relationship, they were currently in the same trench. The man said gravely, "Leaving the city now—are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Chu Qiao turned to look at him, her expression serious. "My sister and my subordinates are in their hands."
"So what? Do you think you can rescue them all by yourself?"
"Does General Xue intend to lend me troops then? I don't need many—five thousand would suffice."
Xue Zhiyuan was immediately rendered speechless. As a mere vanguard commander, with Cao Mengtong currently focused on preserving the Second Army's strength, he couldn't mobilize even five hundred troops, let alone five thousand.
Chu Qiao snorted coldly, climbed onto the warhorse brought over by her guard, and followed the personal soldiers, sharply commanding, "Hyah!"
The warhorse reared and galloped off, kicking up dust as it raced toward the city gates.
Xue Zhiyuan's eyebrows shot up. Just then, a soldier happened to be leading a horse nearby. He snatched the reins, mounted swiftly, and galloped after Chu Qiao toward the western city gate.
——————Break——————
Insufficient writing stamina—truly can't manage twenty thousand words.
Additionally, advertisement time: recommending the beautiful Zhuge Yunqing's new novel "Demon Emperor."
OpenNovel