The news that General Xiuli Chu Qiao was to be enfeoffed as a consort spread throughout Biantang overnight. Regions like Shennan, Dianxi, Yuelin, and Yunmo collectively opposed it, with opposition in the southern territories roaring like thunder. Prince Jing'an, Prince Duanqing, and Duke Huayang successively raised armies in revolt.
These imperial relatives, who had remained passive during Prince Luo's rebellion and bided their time when the Zhan siblings monopolized power, were now enraged in an instant. Under the banners of "cleansing the court" and "eliminating the bewitching woman," they led 180,000 southern troops marching grandly toward the capital. Along the way, government offices and counties all opened their gates to see them off, with no one daring to stand in their way.
Sun Di had long anticipated this. He preemptively deployed 200,000 eastern troops led by Xu Su to block them at the Han River banks, while 100,000 Wolf Army troops defended the imperial capital. All courier routes and checkpoints were tightly guarded, making the capital as secure as an iron barrel, with gleaming swords, spears, and crossbows awaiting the incoming southern tiger divisions.
Everything was ready except for the east wind—all preparations were complete, awaiting only the consort enfeoffment ceremony three days later.
The autumn wind blew bleakly. Due to preparations for the Fengyoutai ceremony, Tang Capital City had implemented a curfew since the day before yesterday. At this moment, the long streets were empty and deserted. The autumn wind swept fallen leaves past tall parasol trees draped with black curtains, like yellow butterflies fluttering around the dark night.
At Sun Di's Minister of Works residence, a man dressed in palace attendant clothing knelt on the ground, speaking in the distinctive high-pitched voice of a eunuch: "Last night, Lady Chu had an argument with Miss Mei Xiang, which disturbed His Young Majesty and Princess Xiao. Later, this servant personally heard Lady Chu promise His Young Majesty that she would not leave Great Tang."
Sun Di's eyebrows rose slightly as he asked, "Are you certain you heard correctly?"
"Crystal clear. Miss Mei Xiang was crying loudly, His Young Majesty even drew his sword, and Lady Chu burned a letter from Daxia's Minister of War."
"What time did Mei Xiang leave this morning?"
"She left before dawn. That young man named Duoji saw her off. Lady Chu said... she was returning to Academy City."
Sun Di nodded, remaining silent for a long while before saying gravely, "It's just as well she left. Having her here would only cause complications."
The man stood up tall, his gaze cold and clear as he placed two gold bars on the table. "Return to your duties and serve well. I shall not treat you poorly."
"Thank you, Minister Sun!"
After the eunuch withdrew, Sun Di summoned a trusted subordinate. After pondering for some time, he finally said slowly, "Take men out of the city immediately to track down Lady Chu's personal maid Mei Xiang. If she is returning to Academy City, escort her all the way back. But if she goes anywhere else against expectations—you know what to do."
The man responded in a low voice immediately, "Your subordinate obeys."
With that, he turned and left. Soon, the neighing of a horse came from outside the gate, then faded away into the vast, empty streets.
Sun Di pushed open the window, seeing the crescent moon hanging like a woman's pale eyebrow.
"I hope... everything proceeds smoothly."
Two days passed peacefully. At court, civil and military officials maintained collective silence. Apart from initial vehement opposition from several Hanlin Academy scholars and over twenty censors from the Censorate, the rest remained wordless—either submitting to Sun Di's official authority or fearing Chu Qiao who now held military power. As for those stubborn old ministers whom Sun Di had intended to arrest personally, the Xiuli Army preempted him by imprisoning them instead.When Sun Di learned of this, he felt a slight unease. Although these men were stubborn, they were truly loyal subjects of Great Tang. The Xiuli Army revered Chu Qiao as if she were a deity, and it was unclear what suffering these men would endure.
He had privately entered the palace hoping to persuade the future Regent Consort, only to be turned away. He suspected Chu Qiao had learned of his previous actions, so he dared not push too aggressively. Instead, he discreetly entrusted officials from the Ministry of Justice to show extra care for the old ministers.
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night, for tomorrow was Chu Qiao's Ceremony of Investiture as Consort—the first posthumous imperial marriage since the founding of Great Tang. The Ministry of Rites worked through the night, striving to complete the construction of the Phoenix Roost Terrace. Meanwhile, other officials remained at home with their own thoughts, none knowing what direction Great Tang would take after tomorrow. Where would this woman, intricately connected to nobles of various countries, lead Great Tang? Was she a loyal subject or a usurper of the throne? Would she maintain the existing social system or emulate her time in Yanbei to establish a new utopian regime? No one knew.
After tomorrow, would Great Tang still bear the surname Li?
That night, countless people pondered this.
The Xiuli Army camp was silent. The soldiers showed no doubt or wavering despite the external clamor. The cool moonlight bathed the vast camp, and the usual training grounds lay deserted.
The curtain of He Xiao's tent shifted slightly as a figure cloaked in black, with a hood completely concealing their head, entered.
He Xiao was drinking at his desk, dressed in plain brown robes, his hair loose and his collar slightly open, revealing a bronzed complexion. He appeared more rugged and untamed than usual. Frowning at the newcomer, he remained silent.
The visitor pulled back the hood, revealing a delicate face, and smiled. "Drinking in the camp late at night—I believe that's against military regulations."
Seeing her, He Xiao said nothing and simply lowered his head to continue drinking.
Chu Qiao stepped forward, sitting cross-legged opposite him, and tilted her head slightly. "Aren't you going to offer me a drink?"
With a clatter, He Xiao tossed a wine bowl her way but did not pour for her. Unfazed, Chu Qiao calmly filled the bowl and drank it in one gulp. The liquor was fiercely strong, burning like embers down her throat.
She frowned slightly. "Such potent wine."
As He Xiao remained silent, she adopted a more serious tone. "If I hadn't come to see you, would you never have come to see me again?"
He Xiao raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over her face, before speaking in a low voice, "I truly wonder how you can still smile at a time like this."
"Why not? Compared to our defense of Beishuo, isn't the current situation much better?"
He Xiao stared at her intently, then let out a derisive snort and turned away. "Yes, much better. Holding great power, rising to the top—indeed, much better."
Chu Qiao leaned forward slightly, her eyes like dark stars, and said coldly, "He Xiao, do you think of me that way too?"
Though he knew the truth in his heart, the fire within him refused to die down. He met her gaze directly, his expression icy with anger, yet tinged with a pained frustration at her perceived lack of resolve.Chu Qiao half-rose to her knees, leaning over the small table before her to whisper a sentence into the man's ear.
He Xiao initially paid little attention, but within moments, his face abruptly changed dramatically. He sharply lifted his head, staring in shock at this audacious woman before him.
"He Xiao," Chu Qiao looked at him with a faint smile, yet her voice carried unprecedented solemnity and calmness. "Will you help me?"
The young general remained silent for a long while, until finally a faint smile gradually appeared at the corners of his mouth. He extended his hand, and just like so many times over the years, they suddenly slapped palms before tightly forming fists together.
The night was chilly. On the desolate post road outside Tang Capital City, a group of riders was galloping at full speed. Suddenly, a single rider appeared ahead, charging toward them on horseback, seemingly heading directly for their group.
The purple-clad man at the lead immediately reined in his horse. As the approaching horse drew nearer at full speed, its rider—who had been galloping wildly—suddenly spotted him and underwent a dramatic change in expression. Surprise, joy, disbelief—all these emotions flickered across his face before he ultimately thumped down from his horse, kneeling on the ground and weeping loudly, "Fourth Young Master!"
...
This night was destined to be unfit for peaceful slumber. Countless schemes and power struggles pushed and pulled against each other in the darkness, quietly awaiting tomorrow's grand ceremony.
The night felt endlessly long.
As the rooster heralded dawn, a crimson sun rose above the horizon, illuminating the world with its radiant light.
In the Imperial Academy Hall, the white-haired Prince of Runan, with trembling tones, read the late emperor's final decree before shakily kneeling upon the hall's jade steps.
Chu Qiao was dressed in precious gold pomegranate-flower nine-colored cloud-brocade sea-pattern phoenix-soaring ceremonial robes, her hair adorned with an eighteen-phoenix gold-and-jade crown, her waist girded with a gold-seal purple-sash jade belt. Since this was a posthumous marriage, the ceremonial attire primarily featured black as its main color. The nine colors were all embroidered using dark blue, deep purple, ink green, iron red, dull gold, sandalwood gray, deep blue, cold orange, and silver white threads, featuring embroidered black phoenixes and extensive golden cloud-sea patterns. The necklaces were mainly decorated with jet stone, sapphire, moonstone, and Hetian jade. Her entire appearance appeared solemn and ancient, yet carried a sense of heaviness and oppression that made people dare not look directly at her.
The phoenix carriage departed from the Imperial Academy Hall, passing through Zhangyu Square, Bishou Heavenly Platform, Rose Main Road, Anhua Gate, Qionghua Gate, Taiqing Gate, and Tai'an Gate. After exiting Jinwu Palace, it entered the aristocratic inner city's Cloud-Reaching Road, then proceeded onto Tianqi Street that circled Tang Capital, heading all the way toward the Phoenix Roosting Platform before the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
Along the route, common people knelt on the ground, all shouting "Long live" upon seeing the carriage procession. Their foreheads pressed deeply into the earth, stirring up dust like a gray-yellow storm.
Autumn leaves lay silent, black drapes enveloped the entire Tang Capital City. The sky stood high and blue, the sun pale and distant. Everything resembled an ink-wash landscape painting, with flourishing prosperity appearing like scattered dust, layer upon layer covering past bloodshed.
The carriage halted. The Phoenix Roasting Platform was built with three hundred sixty-six white jade steps, standing nearly a hundred zhang high. From its summit, one could overlook the entire Tang Capital City, with even that majestic and solemn Jinwu Palace seemingly trampled beneath one's feet.
"We proclaim that the Chu clan, nurtured in renowned families, blessed with worldly virtues throughout generations, knowledgeable in literature and understanding of principles, respectful, obedient, modest, and harmonious. Possessing virtuous protection while gentle and respectful, understanding past and present while naturally inclined toward kindness, virtuous, wise, peaceful, and harmonious, advancing with measured steps. We specially issue this decree to honor and enfeoff as Grand Imperial Noble Consort, to assist in governance and supervise the state, bringing eternal blessings hereafter."A solemn voice echoed under the clear blue sky. A golden phoenix crown crafted of pure gold stood upright on the ancestral temple’s altar ahead, accompanied by the phoenix seal, vermilion brush, and imperial jade seal—symbols of power revered by all. One step forward, one grasp, and no one in this world could easily harm her again.
She stood atop the high Phoenix Roaming Terrace, below her knelt countless figures. Among their upturned gazes were envy, resentment, fear, hesitation, uncertainty, and even a thread of earnest hope—but not a single trace of warmth.
The jade steps beneath her feet were cold, and the sunlight above felt icy.
The Minister of Rites knelt before her, holding the golden seal of authority. The elderly minister, seventy years of age, bowed his head, his aged knees trembling slightly.
A strong wind howled past, and flocks of eagles soared across the sky. Lifting her head, she saw the majestic gates of Tang Capital—the crimson iron walls, the towering watchtowers. The ancient city, weathered by centuries of storms, seemed to gaze back at her, awaiting this historic moment.
All she had to do was accept it—accept it, and a quarter of the world would lie within her grasp.
At that moment, those eyes appeared before her once more—clear yet fervent. His brushstrokes were elegant, sharp, and unrestrained, writing: Wait for me, no matter what!
No matter what! Wait for me!
The ceremonial titles of enfeoffment resounded in unison, like the roar of ten thousand rhinos.
Outside the northern gate of Tang Capital, a single warhorse stood isolated at the head of a bridge. Withered autumn grass swayed in the wind as the rising sun cast countless golden rays across the wilderness.
He wore purple robes, his hair tied with a green jade clasp. His features were refined, his eyes like deep lakes, undisturbed by even the slightest ripple.
A breeze swept by, gently rustling a string of bells hanging around his neck, producing a delicate, melodious chime.
"Remember, I am waiting for you."
I am waiting for you... I am waiting for you...
The sun broke through the clouds, its radiant light suddenly illuminating the world, renewing all things in a scene of splendor.
"Boom!"
A deafening roar erupted from the southern gate, shaking even the ancestral temple.
A vast cloud of yellowish dust surged from the southern horizon, nearly blotting out the rising sun. Alarm bells rang through the imperial army as a courier galloped frantically toward the temple altar. The soldier on horseback cried out in panic, "Prince Jing'an's troops are at the city gates! General Xu Su has defected! Prince Jing'an's troops are at the city gates! General Xu Su has defected!"
In an instant, the entire city fell into chaos, every face pale with terror. Sun Di, standing below the platform, turned ashen.
The Minister of Rites collapsed with a thud, the phoenix seal and its authority clattering onto the white marble steps, gleaming with a brilliant golden light.
Chu Qiao descended step by step, stopping before Sun Di. He looked up, his gaze fixed on her—deep and cold like an icy pool, carrying an indescribable chill and an inexplicable fear.
"Minister Sun," Chu Qiao said, producing a letter densely inscribed with the names of court officials. "This is a list of capital ministers who have secretly conspired with Prince Jing'an and other rebels. I ask you to deal with them immediately."As soon as Chu Qiao finished speaking, the faces of several ministers in the hall turned ashen. Sun Di numbly took the object, staring at her in confusion, as if only now had he truly seen the woman before him clearly.
"I am about to lead the army to confront the Prince of Jing'an. The safety of the city and the Emperor is entrusted to you."
"The capital garrison numbers only one hundred and fifty thousand, but the enemy's forces..."
Chu Qiao interrupted him, "We still have General Xu."
"But General Xu isn't..."
"General Xu has done this kind of thing before."
Sun Di was instantly stunned. He stared blankly as Chu Qiao casually tore off her magnificent ceremonial robes, revealing a form-fitting silver-white armor underneath. She swiftly removed the jeweled hairpins from her hair, wrapping her dark tresses in a blue headscarf. Then, mounting a warhorse brought by He Xiao, she galloped away with the Xiuli Army soldiers.
The one hundred and fifty thousand capital garrison troops were already in formation, standing ready inside and outside the imperial city. The young woman, clad in military attire, no longer carried an aura of stillness and indifference. Instead, her radiant brilliance resembled a phoenix reborn from flames. Sword in hand, she stood proudly beneath the city walls and coldly commanded, "Open the gates!"
In that moment, it was as if the first ray of light at the dawn of creation had appeared—so beautiful it stirred an urge to weep.
Sun Di watched as the towering city gates slowly swung open. Thousands of hooves churned up clouds of yellow dust as the army thundered toward the battlefield ten li away.
The world was a crucible, all things were fuel, and the chaotic times had long forged a master. And she was the sharp sword coveted by all.
The cold wind whistled past her ears as she once again recalled the words Li Ce had whispered to her before his death:
"After I die, the court and the country will surely fall into chaos. The Zhan siblings are nothing but paper tigers—the imperial clansmen are the true wolves. Sun Di is extreme in nature. If he acts out of line, do not heed him. Take the thumb ring I gave you to Hanshui. Xu Su will obey your commands upon seeing it, and Tie You's Wolf Army will also follow your orders."
"Qiaoqiao, your life has been full of constraints. If my death once again shackles your steps, I will not rest in peace even in the underworld."
"Do not disappoint me."
...
Her eyes stung as Chu Qiao pressed her lips together and spurred her horse. On the open plains, the two armies had already clashed. Xu Su, leading from the front in his armor, resembled a god of war from a golden age. He wielded a great blade, and behind him flew a banner bearing the words: "Slay the rebels, execute the traitors."
"Kill!"
The Wolf Army roared with deafening cries. As heaven and earth churned, the first upheaval after Emperor Yongjun of Great Tang ascended the throne had finally erupted in full force.
**
"On the eighth day of the tenth month of the first year of Yongjun, the King feigned ascension to the throne, luring the Prince of Jing'an, the Duke of Duanqing, the Duke of Huayang, and others to raise an army. They marched one hundred and eighty thousand troops to Hanshui Pass. Along the way, followers gathered in droves: Deputy General Fang Huaihai of the Shennan Imperial Guard Battalion, General Tian Rujia of the Western Army of Dianxi, Deputy Commander Liu Mubai of the Xizhao Garrison, Staff Officer Zhu Jiong of Huaicheng, and General Xu Su of Hanshui all pledged allegiance to the King. Their forces swelled to over four hundred thousand, advancing triumphantly all the way to the capital. Upon hearing the news, the King shed his ceremonial robes, donned his armor, opened the Southern Chang Gate, and led his troops to meet the enemy.
When Fang Huaihai, Tian Rujia, Liu Mubai, Zhu Jiong, Xu Su, and others saw the royal banner, they immediately raised the banner to execute traitors and turned their forces against the rebels. The King drew his bow and sword, leading his troops in fierce combat. They slew over thirty thousand enemy soldiers, and the rest surrendered. The Prince of Jing'an, Zhou Yun, died by General Xu's sword at the age of fifty-seven."Two days later, the King hung the phoenix seal at the palace gate and, under the pretense of not daring to wield authority as a woman, knelt before the ancestral temple to request the late emperor revoke the decree. The following day, Emperor Yongjun arrived and, moved by the King's loyalty to the Li Tang dynasty, granted the petition. He removed the title of Grand Imperial Concubine and bestowed upon her the Great Tang's first-class hereditary princedom, presenting the jade registry, golden seal, and first-grade python robe, with the title "King Xiuli."
————"Tang Shu Biography of King Xiuli Volume 127"
Before the palace gate, Chu Qiao stood quietly in the shadows, cloaked in white, as dusk approached and birds flew across the twilight sky. She was enveloped in a faint red glow, appearing serene and peaceful, without any of the sharpness and intensity of one who had galloped across battlefields.
Sun Di had just exited the palace in his carriage when he spotted Chu Qiao and immediately halted. He slowly stepped down, momentarily at a loss for words. After pondering how to address her for a long while, seeing her calm and composed smile, he finally bowed his head and said, "Lord Chu."
"The Xiuli Army has all settled in Biantang, raising families and having children—they are no longer my private troops. I entrust them to Minister Sun, and I myself am no longer the commander of the Xiuli Army. Please do not refer to me as 'Lord' anymore," Chu Qiao said softly, her voice gentle. Yet Sun Di, having witnessed her prowess, no longer dared to underestimate her as he once had. He nodded and replied, "As you say, my lord."
Chu Qiao smiled faintly and continued, "The ministers who openly opposed my enfeoffment should be released. The Emperor is young upon his ascension—this is an opportune time to win over hearts. I will not issue this edict on behalf of the Emperor. After I depart, Minister Sun, do not forget the loyal officials in the Shangli Prison."
Sun Di responded, "I shall remember your instruction, my lord."
"Minister Sun, what I just said was spoken by the Great Tang's King Xiuli to you. Now, I, Chu Qiao, have a few more words to share with you."
Sun Di was taken aback, slowly raising his head to see the woman's elegant face, which held an indescribable radiance. He involuntarily nodded and said, "Please speak."
"You know that the path of an emperor tolerates no mercy. Thus, whether I am the Great Tang's imperial consort or its prince, it will not influence the political inclinations of Yanbei and Daxia. Once the time is ripe, war is inevitable and will not be averted by personal relationships, nor can it halt the process of unification. Although all resistance forces within Biantang have been eliminated, you must not let your guard down. The conflict between Daxia and Yanbei is unavoidable, and the future course of the world is beyond our prediction. We can only do our utmost to steer the situation, protecting Li Ce's descendants and the Great Tang's eternal foundation."
Sun Di looked at Chu Qiao, his brow slightly furrowed with a trace of guilt, and asked in a low voice, "Lord Chu, why do you entrust me with the regency despite my schemes against you?"
Chu Qiao smiled lightly and replied calmly, "There are three reasons: First, Tie You commands the Wolf Army and the Capital Garrison, while General Xu Su oversees the troops outside the capital. They are both unwavering loyal subjects. You are merely a civil official; even with regency powers, you lack the authority to mobilize troops and do not have royal lineage. If you were to rebel, you would have no legitimate claim and no military support—you would surely fail."The setting sun cast a rosy glow over Chu Qiao’s cheeks, as if draped in red satin and golden sand. She continued, “Second, Tang Capital has just endured several major battles. The people need time to recuperate. With the successive downfalls of the Prince of Luo and the Prince of Jing’an, the imperial family’s prestige is at its peak. You lack popular support and cannot incite a popular uprising. You lack both the opportune moment and public opinion to seize power.”
“As for the third,” Chu Qiao smiled faintly, her eyes sparkling with a sly, fox-like brilliance as she said cheerfully, “I believe in you.”
Sun Di’s heart skipped a beat. He stared at Chu Qiao, as if unable to believe his own ears.
"I trust you, and Li Ce trusted you too. Though your methods may be unconventional and extreme, you are the most loyal subject to the Great Tang and the Li family. Before his death, Li Ce said you were the foremost candidate for regent, and I fully agree."
She took two letters from her bosom and handed them to Sun Di, saying, "These are personal letters from Daxia's Seventh Prince Zhao Che and the King of Qinghai, Zhuge Yue, expressing their willingness to form an alliance with Great Tang. Your political position will receive absolute support from both sides, so you need not worry about domestic public opinion threatening you. I will also fully support you, and I believe you will surely raise the young emperor well."
Sun Di's fingers trembled slightly as he slowly received the two letters, feeling their weight as heavy as a mountain peak. Suddenly, he knelt before Chu Qiao and said solemnly, "Your Excellency, rest assured. Sun Di will pledge his life in loyalty to the Li Tang dynasty. Should anything happen to Great Tang, I am willing to atone with my death."
"Minister Sun, you mustn't do this."
Chu Qiao helped him up, looking at him sincerely as she said quietly, "You are Li Ce's friend, which makes you my friend too. He trusted you, so I trust you."
The setting sun was as red as blood, the vast plains firm as iron. Standing atop the towering city wall, Sun Di watched as Chu Qiao departed the city under the escort of He Xiao, Ping An, and others. On the golden wilderness, a long shadow stretched out behind them. The elegant young woman urged her horse forward, whip in hand, like an eagle breaking free from confinement, her white robes fluttering like a pair of massive wings.
She was an eagle—no one could clip her wings, and no one could force her to stay except herself.
In that moment, Sun Di suddenly understood his dear friend's years of stubbornness. With such a person in the world, it truly added color to heaven and earth.
He lifted his head, took a deep breath, and seemed to see his friend's careless smiling face again, leaning close to his ear with a mischievous grin, saying, "Guess whether the skin of Minister Hu's third daughter is as fair as her face?"
The autumn wind rustled, and all things withered and fell. It was a harsh year, yet also a season of harvest.
**
At the bridgehead, Zhuge Yue sat high on his horse, dressed in brocade robes.
Fang Chu reported solemnly, "Master, Miss Chu is here."
As soon as the words fell, a group of riders emerged from below the horizon. Leading them was a young woman in a white cloak, her brows and eyes smiling as she rode toward them against the wind.
"Miss!"
Mei Xiang, who had been sitting on a rock, jumped up happily at the sight of Chu Qiao. Duoji also stepped forward joyfully. In an instant, Chu Qiao and her party arrived before them. She dismounted and embraced Mei Xiang, who cried while saying, "Miss, I thought you were deceiving me. I really thought you weren't coming."
Jingjing, Ping An, and the others happily gathered around Duoji, exchanging stories of their time apart. Ping An vividly recounted the battle from that day, looking quite proud. He Xiao, who had no family and was unwilling to stay in Biantang, had followed Chu Qiao. Although he and Yue Qi had never met before, they had long heard of each other's reputations, so they quickly became acquainted.
Only Zhuge Yue remained standing in place, his face ashen as he coldly watched Chu Qiao exchanging pleasantries with Mei Xiang, his teeth nearly grinding together.
Finally, that intense gaze shattered someone's long-awaited reunion. She walked forward with a smile. The moment Zhuge Yue moved, she immediately raised both hands obediently and shouted, "I surrender! This is the last time! I promise!"Zhuge Yue raised his hand, intending to teach her a lesson, but after gesturing for a long time, he couldn’t decide where to strike. Seeing her huddled with her neck tucked in and eyes closed, he awkwardly snapped in anger, “Why aren’t you fighting back?”
Chu Qiao opened her eyes, pouting, looking utterly pitiful. “I’m admitting my mistake.”
“You actually know you did something wrong?” Zhuge Yue squinted at her, ignoring the onlookers among his subordinates, and quite mercilessly pinched her already thin cheeks, saying sternly, “Daring not to reply to my letters—have you grown some nerve?”
“I didn’t have time!” Chu Qiao protested with a pained expression.
“No time to reply, but time to burn my letters?”
Chu Qiao lifted her head, continuing her defense. “If I didn’t put on a deeply aggrieved act, Sun Di wouldn’t have believed me. If he didn’t believe me, Jing’an Wang and the others would have been even more skeptical.”
“So you even deceived Mei Xiang?” Zhuge Yue glared at her, sharply pressing further. “Are you sure you weren’t actually thinking that way at the time? Are you sure you didn’t change your mind at the last minute out of a guilty conscience?”
“How could that be?”
Chu Qiao cried out indignantly, “Am I someone with such wavering convictions?”
With that, she turned to look around, only to find that all her subordinates had shamelessly betrayed her, nodding eagerly as if to say: Don’t doubt it—you are!
Chu Qiao shot them a disdainful glance and quickly turned back to plead her case to her future provider of meals, carriages, housing, money, and all other necessities. “Don’t believe them. My revolutionary resolve was the firmest in the entire army back in the day.”
Zhuge Yue gave her a scornful look and declared arrogantly, “It’s good that you know what’s good for you. Otherwise, I’d lead troops to raid Li Ce’s lair and see who you’d become an imperial consort for then.”
You’re just bluffing.
Chu Qiao muttered quietly to herself, but on the surface, she wisely said, “Of course, how could I? I keep my word and never go back on it.”
Zhuge Yue smugly lifted his chin, his masculine pride greatly satisfied.
“Waa!”
A child’s loud cry suddenly came from a carriage that had arrived with Chu Qiao. Zhuge Yue and the others were taken aback, while Chu Qiao hurried over and lifted the carriage curtain. Inside, two wet nurses were holding a four- or five-month-old baby. The child had clearly just woken up and was engaged in his daily routine: crying.
Chu Qiao quickly took the child into her arms and skillfully soothed him.
“What is this?”
Zhuge Yue’s face darkened as he asked coldly.
Chu Qiao looked at him in surprise and answered honestly, “A child.”
“I know that,” Zhuge Yue’s anger grew, and he demanded, “Whose child is this?”
Chu Qiao remembered she hadn’t explained to everyone yet and said, “This is Li Ce’s third son, named Li Qingrong. But we might need to change his name later. His mother is Zhan Ziming. Before Li Ce passed away, he entrusted the child to me, saying he feared the boy might face persecution in the palace in the future, so he asked me to take him out of the palace.”
“Li Ce’s son?”
Zhuge Yue frowned and stepped forward to take a look. The child had rosy lips and pearly teeth, with pitch-black eyes. Pouting pitifully, he fiddled with the tassels on Chu Qiao’s coat, his little eyes darting around restlessly. He truly resembled that departed old friend.A sense of desolation rose in his heart. Just as he was about to speak, the child suddenly noticed him. His dark eyes rolled around before he opened his mouth and let out an earth-shattering, heart-wrenching wail, his limbs flailing wildly. It was clear he was extremely displeased.
"What's wrong? Why is he crying?"
Chu Qiao asked in puzzlement. Mei Xiang also rushed over and asked the wet nurse, "Is the child hungry?"
The wet nurse quickly shook her head, saying he had just been fed. Mei Xiang checked the baby's swaddling clothes but found no wetness. Suddenly, Chu Qiao had an epiphany. She turned to Zhuge Yue and said, "The child probably dislikes you."
Zhuge Yue's face darkened with anger. "Why would he dislike me?"
"Try moving farther away. That might be it."
Someone really couldn't accept this. He furrowed his sword-like brows and said, "Why should I? I haven't hit him."
"Some people just naturally lack charm. Perhaps you're one of them."
"Yes, brother-in-law, you should move farther away. Maybe Rong'er is scared of you," Jingjing chimed in, adding fuel to the fire.
"Why though?" Yue Qi offered a weak, barely audible rebuttal, loyally defending his master: "Actually, the young master seems quite approachable and amiable..."
Unfortunately, even he lacked conviction, his voice growing softer until it trailed off.
Finally, under everyone's pressure, Zhuge Yue walked far into the distance. Sure enough, Li Qingrong immediately stopped crying. Though he had cried so violently that he couldn't completely stop at once and continued with soft sobs, faint traces of a smile were already appearing on his face.
Soon, the group burst into laughter—the little one had bumped his head while playing with Yue Qi's sword hilt and was now furiously biting Yue Qi's shoulder in retaliation.
Sitting on a large rock in the distance, Zhuge Yue watched the crowd from afar and grumbled inwardly: Brat, you're just like your old man.
Before anyone noticed, Chu Qiao had pattered over and sat down closely beside him.
Yue Qi and the others—figures who could shake the world with a single step—were still bustling around in a fluster over an infant. Soon, Mei Xiang pointed at the usually wooden Fang Chu and exclaimed, "Ah! The baby's done his business! You hold him for now. Ah, just hold him when I tell you to!"
Chu Qiao wrapped her arms around Zhuge Yue's, pressing her cheek against his shoulder and leaning her head against him. She let out a long sigh and said, "It's finally over."
"Tired?"
"Not too bad." Chu Qiao closed her eyes. The golden-red light spilled over her face, casting a brilliant glow. "I was just worried about you, constantly pushing myself to go faster and faster."
Zhuge Yue was still resentful and pressed further, "Why didn't you read my letters?"
"I didn't know if I could succeed," she said, tilting her head up slightly to smile at Zhuge Yue. "I wasn't confident back then. I was afraid of failing, of dying. I feared that if I read your letters, I would lose the courage to keep going."
Chu Qiao's smile was radiant, like a blooming flower—a rare sight in her life, unburdened and carefree. She said with a laugh, "You are my weakness. You make me reluctant to stay strong."
Zhuge Yue looked at her, his expression gradually softening. He reached out, wrapped an arm around her waist, and said in a low, calm voice, "By my side, you don't need to be strong."
With that, he lowered his head and kissed her lips.
"Ah! How embarrassing!"
Jingjing's sharp scream suddenly rang out.The world was so vast, in the deep autumn season, a stretch of bright yellow brocade.
The wind blew from afar, passing by wind chimes, their faint whispers murmuring: Remember, I am waiting for you.
I am waiting for you, I am waiting for you, I will always be waiting for you...
"Zhuge Yue, why don't you enter the city? The dress I wore during my imperial consort ceremony was absolutely beautiful!"
"Wait, I will give you an even more beautiful one in the future."
"You promise?"
"I promise."
"Yay!"
OpenNovel