The wind howled mournfully, snow swirled thickly, and the night was as dark as dense ink. The troops of the Southwest Garrison Commander stood before the camp gates. As the forward scouts reported back, the gates slowly creaked open, the dark entrance gaping like the ferocious maw of a beast. He Xiao sat astride his horse beside Chu Qiao, his war saber hanging quietly at his waist. A faint blue light shimmered subtly along its edge, particularly striking under the moonlight.
"Your Excellency, shall we report to His Highness now?"
He Xiao asked in a low voice, but Chu Qiao quietly shook her head. The cold wind tousled the stray hairs at her forehead like winding tendrils. She frowned slightly, her deep eyes fixed on the brightly lit camp as she said gravely, "No need. Complicating matters will only invite more trouble. Better to seek forgiveness than permission."
He Xiao hesitated, furrowing his brow as he said, "But won’t His Highness be angry?"
"I don’t know," Chu Qiao replied flatly. "We’ll act first and deal with the consequences later."
With that, she urged her horse forward. The guards saluted her in unison, but she paid them no mind, galloping straight into the camp. Behind her followed over a thousand soldiers of the Southwest Garrison who had narrowly escaped death. The column swept through the camp like a whirlwind, the thunderous drumming of hooves resembling rolling thunder. Snowflakes danced wildly, churning into a fine mist beneath the horses’ trampling feet.
Many soldiers who had been deep in sleep were jolted awake, thinking the enemy had launched a surprise attack. They hurriedly dressed, grabbed their weapons, and rushed out of their tents, only to be met with a face full of snow. Seeing the Southwest Garrison troops charging fiercely toward the eastern camp, their faces filled with astonishment. One veteran in his forties, his clothes still disheveled and his belt only half-fastened, wrinkled his deeply lined face and muttered, "Why are these guys so furious? Something’s about to go down. We should notify His Highness immediately."
Meanwhile, lights had already been lit in Yan Xun’s command tent. A guard on duty burst into the central command tent, his footsteps disturbing the slumbering man.
"Now!"
Chu Qiao shouted coldly. Over twenty grappling hooks shot out like arrows from their strings, instantly latching onto the tent. The soldiers cracked their whips, and the horses neighed as they reared and bolted in all directions. The next moment, the massive tent was torn to shreds. Cheng Yuan, though not fully dressed, stood tall and straight in the center of the tent, sword in hand. Spotting Chu Qiao, he roared angrily, "Commander Chu! What is the meaning of this?"
"General Cheng, you forged military orders, colluded with the enemy, and used others to do your dirty work. What a ruthless scheme!"
He Xiao snarled, the bones in his sword-gripping hand cracking audibly.
Cheng Yuan frowned, feigning ignorance. "What are you talking about? I don’t understand."
As He Xiao prepared to retort, Chu Qiao raised a hand to stop him, saying coldly, "No need to waste words on him."
"Commander Chu, I believe this is a misunderstanding. Could we perhaps discuss—"
But before he could finish, Chu Qiao suddenly drew the sword at her waist and shouted sharply, "Kill him!"As soon as these words were spoken, the officers and soldiers of the Southwest Garrison Commander immediately surged forward. Cheng Yuan's personal guards hastily rushed to meet them, their armor not yet fully donned, standing pale-faced and blue-lipped in the chilling northern wind. They raised their sabers but could only strike the warhorses. Before the blood could spurt out, their heads were already severed by blades. Sharp screams shattered the army's silence as Cheng Yuan shouted loudly, "Reinforcements! Reinforcements! The Southwest Garrison Commander has rebelled again!"
The nearest guards were already rushing over at full speed, their footsteps like a raging flood, pounding heavily in everyone's hearts.
Jiang Chong, the captain of the Third Guard of the Second Army, led his troops to the scene. Just as he was about to charge into the fray, he saw Chu Qiao standing tall amidst the chaos, shouting, "Soldiers of the Second Army, do you wish to make an enemy of me, Chu Qiao?"
Jiang Chong froze instantly. How could he not know who Chu Qiao was? After the Battle of Beishuo, she had become a household name, and he had always taken pride in having once fought alongside her. Seeing her now standing before the Southwest Garrison Commander, he was momentarily stunned. He quickly rallied his guards and shouted, "Lady Chu, what is the meaning of this?"
"I am dealing with traitors. Do not act rashly for now. Once this matter is resolved, I will give everyone an explanation."
On one side was the Southwest Garrison Commander, accused of treason, and on the other was Cheng Yuan, who had fled during the Battle of Beishuo. Both were sensitive topics within the army. After a moment of silent contemplation, Jiang Chong immediately issued an order: "Seal off the combat zone immediately! If either side attempts to flee or spread the conflict, kill them without mercy!"
Seeing that Jiang Chong no longer attempted to charge in, Chu Qiao felt relieved. As the commotion grew, she raised her sword and said to He Xiao, "Let's go. If we don't resolve this within the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, we may never have such an opportunity again."
With that, the last guard unit of the Southwest Garrison Commander charged into the fray. Instantly, battle cries erupted, the thunder of hooves roared, and the surge of people intensified. Cheng Yuan's guards let out desperate screams but had nowhere to hide. Jiang Teng, holding his sword, shielded Cheng Yuan and shouted, "Protect the general! Protect the general!"
As soon as his words fell, a sharp arrow pierced through him, leaving a gaping hole in his body.
In less than a hundred men, the guards fell in unison, trampled into bloody pulp by the horses' hooves. The deafening clamor of weapons clashing mingled with the chaos. The Southwest Garrison Commander surrounded Cheng Yuan and his men, arrows raining down in volleys. Corpses fell in large numbers into pools of blood, and a dense forest of metal stood neatly embedded in the bodies.
Shouting was no longer effective. Cheng Yuan's eyes turned red with fury. In his plan, the Southwest Garrison Commander should no longer exist. No matter how enraged Chu Qiao was, she was nothing but a toothless tiger, and a hundred guards should have been more than enough to handle this troublesome woman. Yet he never expected the Southwest Garrison Commander not only to survive but to directly assault his tent. This woman was utterly insane—was he going to die here today?
"By His Highness's order! All cease fighting immediately! Anyone who continues private combat will be dealt with according to military law!"
The voice of the messenger echoed from the periphery. Cheng Yuan was overjoyed, but Chu Qiao seemed not to hear. She thrust her sword into a soldier's chest, leaped off her horse, and withdrew the blade, splattering blood everywhere. In this resolute manner, she demonstrated her unwavering determination to eliminate him.The snow-white camp resembled a massive meat grinder, blood and mud mingled in disarray across the ground. The sounds of slaughter and clashing blades echoed under the pitch-black sky. The pent-up tension and rage of recent days finally erupted as the officers and soldiers of the Southwest Garrison Commander charged forth with swords, swiftly clearing all obstacles in their path.
"By His Highness's command! All cease fighting at once!"
The messenger continued to shout. Chu Qiao kicked Cheng Yuan to the ground, blood snaking along the ancient longsword before coagulating into droplets that fell upon the pristine snow. In that moment, countless faces flashed before her eyes: Xue Zhiyuan's handsome countenance, the young soldier who died saving her beneath the walls of Beishuo City, the troops who perished in the Battle of Beishuo when the Beishuo army fled, and Yan Xun's gaze gradually filling with doubt...
She raised her longsword high, offering no lofty words, her eyes turning sharply cold as she swung the blade mercilessly toward the man's neck!
Cheng Yuan's pupils dilated instantly, his mouth gaping in terror without emitting a sound. Against such a strike, he had no chance of escape, especially now, riddled with arrows and stripped of all combat strength.
Just as the sword was about to pierce his throat, a sharp arrow suddenly tore through the air. Its speed was so immense it seemed to spark against the atmosphere, a piercing shriek erupting abruptly. Chu Qiao's wrist flared with a burning numbness, her sword veering off course to embed itself deeply in the snow, leaving only a crimson gash across Cheng Yuan's neck.
"Your Highness! Save me, Your Highness!"
Chu Qiao's eyes blazed with fury as she yanked the sword free and thrust again. Yet before her strike could land, another arrow shot forth—this time not aimed at her blade, but directed at He Xiao standing beside her. He Xiao raised his saber to block, the impact sending him stumbling back seven or eight steps. Before he could steady himself, yet another arrow targeted his face!
Chu Qiao intercepted it with her sword, but the arrows came in rapid succession, their trajectories cunning and angles bizarre. She parried fluidly and agilely, her movements resembling an elegant dance in the wind. For a fleeting moment, she seemed transported back many years, to the depths of a secluded palace where two children practiced—one drawing a bow, the other blocking—though in those days, the arrowheads were blunted, unlike the gleaming, bone-chilling points that now glittered with cold light.
By the time calm returned, Cheng Yuan had long since fled to a safe distance. Yan Xun, clad in a black greatcoat, sat tall upon his horse, one hand holding a golden powerful crossbow, the other gripping a sharp arrow. Behind him stood the Black Hawk Army's imperial guards, their armor icy and gazes frigid as they surveyed the ravaged battlefield.
A fierce wind swept between them, whirling snowflakes from the ground in a soft, whistling ascent.
"A Chu, what are you doing?"
Yan Xun's voice was calm, so composed it was impossible to discern his thoughts. His expression was utterly detached, as if the person before him weren't the childhood companion who had shared eight years of his life. A drop of blood rolled down Chu Qiao's cheek, seeping into her snow-white neck. She lifted her head to look at him, watching as Cheng Yuan stood respectfully by his side, brazenly distorting the truth without any rebuttal or reprimand from Yan Xun. She felt her heart gradually buried under an avalanche of snow, her lips parting slightly yet unable to form a single word.She had always believed there were no misunderstandings between them, nor any need for embellished words. But now she suddenly realized that if she didn't argue or explain, she would truly become a treacherous conspirator with ulterior motives. This was truly a perfect irony.
He Xiao stepped forward and recounted the entire sequence of events, only omitting the part about the Daxia Army intentionally letting them off, instead saying they had detected the anomaly early and fought their way out of the encirclement.
Yan Xun listened quietly all along, hearing He Xiao and Cheng Yuan accuse each other, hearing the Southwest Garrison Commander's officers and soldiers shout in anger, without uttering a word. The surrounding soldiers gathered in increasing numbers, the night wind grew stronger, and the weather was so cold. Chu Qiao stood in place, her hands and feet numb from the cold. The surrounding sounds gradually faded away; she seemed unable to hear them anymore, only able to see Yan Xun's eyes—so dark, so bright, yet why were they veiled with a layer of frost, becoming indistinct?
"A Chu," Yan Xun's deep voice slowly sounded, not particularly loud, yet all the surrounding clamor instantly ceased. He gazed deeply at Chu Qiao and asked in a calm tone, "Is it true?"
Chu Qiao looked at him quietly. He was also looking at her, his gaze piercing through the long years, tracing back to their shared past. Everything else vanished, leaving only his eyes. From the first glance at the Daxia hunting grounds, the turbulent times had connected these two lives that should have had no intersection. Often, Chu Qiao wondered: Had she traversed thousands of years and crossed immeasurable space just for him? Therefore, no matter the hardships, no matter the adversities, they stood together, shoulder to shoulder, stumbling along the way, never betraying each other, firmly trusting one another.
She nodded deeply, her eyes still calm, yet her heart gradually grew fervent, like a gambler who had staked everything. Then she said, "It's true."
Everything around suddenly became so quiet, leaving only Yan Xun's face. He slowly narrowed his eyes, his lips moved, and he said something, but Chu Qiao seemed unable to hear. The sound was so loud, reverberating in her ears; she heard it clearly, yet the words seemed to turn into meaningless symbols, making her unable to discern their meaning.
Yan Xun asked, "If that's the case, why were the Southwest Garrison Commander's casualties so light? According to your account, the enemy mobilized over three thousand troops, obtained General Cheng's intelligence in advance, and set up an encirclement. How then were your casualties so minimal?"
"Your Highness, I believe this may all be a misunderstanding. I previously offended Lady Chu in Beishuo, was deceived by villains, and mistakenly harmed Lady Chu's subordinates. General Xue was Lady Chu's close friend, and I bear responsibility for his death as well. It's inevitable that Lady Chu holds prejudice against me."
The newly promoted young generals of the First Army also raised their own questions: Why did the Southwest Garrison Commander's battle end so quickly? If the enemy had three thousand troops and the advantage of surprise, they shouldn't have failed to complete the encirclement and let them escape so easily.The clamor grew louder, like a swarm of flies buzzing in her ears. Chu Qiao found it difficult to speak. How could she say that Zhuge Yue had let her go out of lingering affection? With so many people around, if this matter were to spread, would Zhuge Yue face punishment from Daxia? Moreover, she no longer had the strength to defend herself. She looked at Yan Xun, and the light in her eyes slowly faded, inch by inch. Her voice was as faint as drifting mist as she let out a cold, self-mocking laugh and said, "You don't believe me?"
Yan Xun replied, "Give me a reasonable explanation."
A reasonable explanation? Cheng Yuan’s troop deployment order, the deaths of eight soldiers from the Southwest Garrison, and over twenty injured—weren’t these reasonable enough? Did the entire army have to be wiped out to prove the truth? Chu Qiao let out a bitter, silent laugh. A profound disappointment and anguish, sharp as a blade, sliced through her heart again and again. She bit her lower lip so hard it felt as though blood might drip from her chest. Her smile was bitter as she retorted, "Yan Xun, we’ve known each other for so many years. Have I ever done anything to harm you?"
Yan Xun frowned deeply and remained silent.
Chu Qiao continued to laugh. The cold wind brushed against her face, and her lips seemed to stiffen. Her eyes grew colder, like a frozen pond, their clarity fading into withered plum blossoms. Her gaze swept over the crowd like a bleak autumn wind. Doubt and suspicion had already taken root; everything had changed. Yan Xun was now the King of Yan, no longer the destitute Crown Prince he once was. So many people stood by his side now, while she was no longer the only one.
"Everything I’ve said, the heavens and the sun and moon can bear witness. If you don’t believe me, then execute me for treason."
After saying this, she no longer looked at the expressions of those around her. Exhausted, she took a step forward, stumbling slightly and nearly falling. He Xiao and the others rushed to support her, but she pushed them away. The girl’s figure was so frail and thin, her neck so pale that one could almost see the veins beneath. A mournful cry echoed as crows flew overhead in the night. Leaving everyone behind, she walked away quietly, as if forcing him to make a decision through this resolute act—to call out and stop her, to kill the traitor, or simply to chase after her, hold her, and tell her she was wrong, that he would never doubt her.
But he did none of these things. He simply stood there silently, surrounded by thousands, the torchlight casting a harsh, glaring brightness on his face. He watched her, his gaze steady. He did not chase after her, nor did he speak, nor did he order her execution. Time flowed quietly between them as snowflakes drifted down. The distance between them grew, as if mountains and rivers had risen from the ground. In the blink of an eye, it seemed they had traveled nearly a decade apart—from their first meeting, to standing side by side, from relying on each other, to fighting together. The words of the past still echoed in her ears, but the once-precious vows now felt cheap and hollow.Yan Xun, we once shared weal and woe, depended on each other for survival. Together, we endured the most arduous days of our lives. We promised to return to our homeland together, to rebuild Yanbei together, to seek revenge together, to trust each other and never abandon one another... Yet the world ultimately refuses to follow our envisioned path. You once said I was the last person in this world you could trust. I know you weren't lying to me - it's just that you yourself didn't realize that after all you've been through, you had already forgotten how to trust. Beyond yourself, you no longer trust anything beyond your control. This includes the Great Alliance Society, the magnanimous and popular Mr. Wu, the brilliant and extraordinary Miss Yu, the long-time follower A Jing who knows too much of your past, the Southwest Garrison Commander who only answers to me, and of course it includes me - including this Chu Qiao who has repeatedly achieved military merits yet remains intricately connected to you.
Tears streamed endlessly from Chu Qiao's eyes. She untied the heavy fur cloak, letting the precious garment fall to the ground. In this moment, the renowned general who had shaken Ximeng and terrified the entire Great Xia Dynasty vanished. She was just a lost and confused young girl - pale cheeks, thin and frail, deep-set eyes, arms that once commanded thousands now hanging weakly at her sides, once brilliant eyes now dull and lifeless. An intense, ocean-like sorrow poured forth as tears rolled down her pale, thin cheeks, dried by the cold wind, leaving behind an icy pain.
Only at this moment did she suddenly realize how deeply her love for Yan Xun had penetrated her bones. Years of accumulation had made these emotions seep into her very organs like opium. She hadn't noticed it when he became engaged to Zhao Chun'er, nor when she was forced to go to Biantang and separated from him, not even when death was imminent, nor when she stood alone atop Beishuo City's walls. Because during those times, no matter how far apart they were, their hearts remained connected. She knew he loved her, loved her so deeply that even when forced to stay by someone else's side, even when thousands of mountains and rivers stood between them, even when death approached and they might never meet again in this life or the next.
But now, as he stood behind her, watching her stumbling figure walk alone, she suddenly realized that no principles, no beliefs, no ethics or justice could compare to the heart-wrenching pain of his suspicion!
Her love and loyalty stood firm like mountains and seas - even if her blood splattered and turned to ashes, they should never change. As long as trust remained, even if one day he stood opposed to all righteousness in the world, she could forgive him without hesitation. Even if he sank into seas of blood and mountains of enemies, even if he fell into the Avici Hell, even if he committed unforgivable crimes and was rejected by the entire world, she would never betray him.
That's why she hadn't felt even a trace of anger when he abandoned the Southwest Garrison Commander in Zhenhuang City. When he abandoned Yanbei again, she forgave him completely in an instant. But then he killed Helian Ling, slaughtered the officers and soldiers of the Southwest Garrison Commander, shielded Cheng Yuan... He walked further and further down this path. Whose fault was it ultimately? Those unbearable experiences? That overwhelming blood feud? Years of suppression and madness? Or was it her - was it because she failed to pull him back?A figure darted into the silent, pitch-black camp, where snow-white tents stood like steamed buns. The soldiers had all gone to Cheng Yuan’s tent to join the excitement, leaving this place as still as a grave.
Chu Qiao stumbled and fell onto the snowy ground. She tried to push herself up with her arms but couldn’t manage to rise.
A low, suppressed sob escaped her, like the whimper of a small animal. Kneeling on the ground, she clutched the snow in her hand, the cold stinging like a knife. Her shoulders trembled as she could no longer hold back the overwhelming sorrow. Tears streamed down her face, and she wept uncontrollably amidst the vast expanse of white snow.
Yan Xun, how could you not believe me? How could you doubt me?
The snow fell heavier now. Clad in white, the woman lay prostrate in the snow, muffling her sobs with her hand. Snowflakes settled on her shoulders, gradually piling up.
The next day, Chu Qiao personally submitted a formal request to Yan Xun, seeking permission to leave the eastern war zone and return to Yanbei with the Southwest Garrison Commander. She intended to go to the Shangshen region to construct water conservancy projects, develop agriculture, and implement the long-planned post-war reconstruction work.
Yan Xun stared at the respectful and humble memorial for a long time, then silently wrote the character "Approved." Though the character did not have many strokes, he took a long time to write it. After he finished, the sunlight outside suddenly brightened, shining brilliantly across the vast expanse of white snow, making the northern lands appear even more desolate.
On the day Chu Qiao departed, the sky was cloudless, a stark contrast to the gloom of days before. Aside from Ping An, not a single soldier came to see her off, and Yan Xun did not appear either. She sat on her horse, tilting her head to gaze at the azure sky, where a white eagle circled overhead, its mournful cry echoing for a long time.
Yan Xun, I am leaving. Take care of yourself.
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