Chu Qiao had not only underestimated Zhao Chun’er’s hatred for her, but also Zhao Che’s wisdom and the weight her name now carried in the hearts of the Daxia clans. After the imperial proclamation was issued in the capital of Zhenhuang, the previously fragmented Daxia Empire suddenly displayed unprecedented unity. Regional lords and garrison commanders responded to the empire’s call, actively preparing for war and sharpening their weapons. Military drills involving tens of thousands of soldiers were held over a dozen times, while impassioned speeches, rousing mobilization rallies, and grand public parades unfolded like wildfire across Daxia. It was as if they were facing not a lone woman, but a million-strong army. The previously demoralized troops, who had once faltered against the Yanbei Army, now saw their morale soar. Singing war songs and listening to battle drums, soldiers marched proudly out of city gates under the tearful farewells of their lords, venturing into the vast wilderness to begin their arduous and perilous long-distance hunt.
Unaware commoners, thinking the Yanbei Army was invading, panicked. They packed their valuables, ready to flee with the chaotic crowds at any moment.
Chu Qiao knew it was not her influence that had terrified the Daxia military to such an extent. The real reason lay in the fact that when the capital initially issued the call for loyalist support, no one in the empire had responded. Now, seeing that the Yanbei Army showed no immediate intention of marching east, and that the Zhao Clan had firmly established itself in the capital of Yun, with its position gradually stabilizing, the Daxia garrisons from various regions had regrouped under Zhao Che’s command in Zhenhuang City. The turmoil caused by Yan Xun’s rebellion was slowly subsiding. Of course, the noble families needed to secure a retreat for themselves. Just days earlier, powerful clans like the Mu Clan of Lingnan, the Zhuge Clan of Huaxi, and the Wei Clan of Yinchuan had sent envoys with large quantities of provisions and supplies to Yun and Zhenhuang. Anyone who failed to plan a loyal retreat at this point would be a fool or an idiot.
Thus, the regional lords and generals, who dared not directly lead their troops to attack Yanbei, turned their spears toward the woman who had boldly escaped from the Seventh Prince and Eighth Princess. It was as if they believed that by killing her, the Yanbei Army would crumble. Even the garrison lords in the southeastern part of the empire, who had not received direct orders, joined the spectacle to demonstrate their loyalty, dispatching large numbers of soldiers to conduct thorough investigations, determined to dig three feet underground if necessary to capture her.
However, it was precisely this performative action by the southeastern lords, meant to showcase their loyalty to the capital, that brought Chu Qiao immense trouble. Because at this very moment, she was in the southeastern region, near the border between Daxia and Biantang.
Her horse was exhausted, foaming at the mouth, and Chu Qiao had no choice but to stop, letting it drink and rest. She had no appetite, but to maintain her strength, she forced herself to eat a piece of dry rations, washing it down with cold water, which left her stomach unsettled.
This was already the sixth day. In two more days, she would enter Biantang territory. But before that, she still had to pass through two prefectures and vast stretches of chaotic, uninhabited land. Beyond that lay Biantang’s northern first pass—Baizhi Pass.
For thousands of years, Baizhi Pass had served as a critical barrier for the orthodox eastern continent against northern barbarians, witnessing countless major battles. Its defenses were as tight as those of Yanbei Pass, and Chu Qiao still had not devised a foolproof plan to cross it.While lost in thought, the sound of hoofbeats suddenly rose in the distance. Chu Qiao was startled, raising her head to peer into the distance, and her expression instantly changed.
Dust billowed in the distance as over a hundred warhorses charged swiftly. Fortunately, the southeast wasn't like the northwest, where fortified defenses awaited her like a trap. Here, dense forests sprawled everywhere, with undulating hills and wild terrain—otherwise, at such close range, she would have been exposed long ago. Gritting her teeth, Chu Qiao swung onto her already alert and upright warhorse, urging it into a frantic gallop.
She followed a stream for over three miles to erase her tracks from pursuers, but just as she caught her breath, the relentless hoofbeats sounded behind her again. Frowning deeply, Chu Qiao decisively picked up two large rocks, tied them with ropes, and placed them on the horse's back. Then, she gave the horse a sharp slap on the rump, driving it away.
This horse had been with her for many years, sharing life-and-death situations several times, and their bond ran deep. After running a few steps, the horse stopped in place, turned its head to look at her, and continuously swished its tail.
Chu Qiao shouldered her pack and turned to head deep into the dense forest. But as soon as she took a step, the horse, reluctant to part, tried to follow her. The young woman frowned tightly and, without looking back, threw a knife with a swift motion. With a sharp "swish," it grazed past the horse's neck. Startled, the horse let out a long whinny, turned, and bolted away.
Listening as the hoofbeats faded into the distance, Chu Qiao took a deep breath, adjusted her bundle, and entered the thick woods.
"The king's domain spans the six seas, teaching virtue to pacify the nation; the sage's path of ruling the state takes benevolence and righteousness as its canon, governing the rise and fall of prosperity and decay..."
On an early summer morning, birds sang and flowers bloomed along a verdant mountain path, where the clear sound of recitation drifted leisurely. From afar, a young man dressed as a scholar could be seen riding a dappled gray donkey, holding a slightly yellowed scroll of book, swaying his head as he chanted.
It was truly fine weather—clear skies, crisp air, with birds chirping and blossoms fragrant. Having just rained, even the air carried a pleasant scent. Liang Shaoqing closed the book scroll and slowly lifted his head, narrowing his distinct black-and-white eyes slightly. His young, handsome face bore a kind smile. He stretched out his hand, palm open, revealing a few grains of broken rice. A pale yellow lark, spotting this, quickly fluttered its wings and landed on his palm, pecking gently at the grains while sneakily glancing up with its small, bean-like eyes at Liang Shaoqing's harmless expression.
"Heaven has a virtue of cherishing life. Go now, and don't fall into a bird-catcher's hands again."
The little bird circled around him but never flew away. The morning sunlight filtered through the sparse leaves, casting a soft glow on the young man's face, which held a gentle, benevolent smile.
Just then, the sound of a scuffle suddenly came from afar. The scholar was slightly taken aback, pricking up his ears to listen. Clear shouts and the noise of fighting immediately reached him. Liang Shaoqing furrowed his brows and muttered under his breath, "When traveling far from home, avoid meddling in others' affairs; safety comes first."
With that, the scholar nodded firmly, as if affirming the correctness of his thoughts. He tugged on the reins, turning his donkey back the way he came, intending to steer clear of this unforeseen trouble. But after taking just two steps, he halted again, thinking to himself: What if it's a case of the strong bullying the weak? As a man of principle, wouldn't it be against the code of chivalry to stand by and do nothing? Pondering this, Liang Shaoqing sat on his donkey, sinking into silent contemplation with a very earnest expression.The sounds of fighting continued, but Liang Shaoqing’s mind was locked in an intense internal struggle. He was afraid of getting involved in trouble, yet he couldn’t bring himself to ignore the situation. After hesitating for a long while, the young scholar suddenly gritted his teeth and thought to himself, Perhaps it’s just two groups of farmers fighting. If I step in to mediate, they’ll surely listen to reason and reconcile. Even if the situation turns dangerous, I can always run to report it to the authorities—nothing bad will happen. With this mindset, he gently patted the green donkey he was riding and whispered, "Xiao Qing, let’s go take a quiet look."
But fate does not favor the kind-hearted. Just then, a little lark that had been circling nearby, waiting to peck at the rice grains, grew impatient. For some unknown reason, it suddenly swooped down and pecked at the green donkey’s eyelid. Startled, the donkey named Xiao Qing let out a loud bray and bolted forward wildly, kicking up its hooves!
"Ah! Xiao Qing! Xiao Qing! What are you doing? Wrong direction! Slow down!"
The fierce wind whistled past his ears as Liang Shaoqing clung tightly to the donkey’s neck, nearly jolted to the point of vomiting. The lush forest flashed by in a blur. Liang Shaoqing had never known his donkey could run so fast. But just as he marveled at this, the donkey let out a sharp cry and came to an abrupt halt.
Silence! A deathly silence!
The air carried the metallic scent of iron, along with the faint, bloody odor of a freshly slaughtered pig. Liang Shaoqing slowly loosened his grip, then cautiously raised his head like a thief, opening his tightly shut eyes. With a mix of caution, fear, and curiosity, he looked around.
Everyone had stopped fighting. The blood-soaked soldiers turned to stare at this unexpected intruder, and even the young girl surrounded in their midst cast a strange glance his way.
Two consecutive days of pursuit and over a dozen battles without rest had left them physically and mentally exhausted. At this point, even the slightest disturbance was enough to unsettle them. A great achievement was within reach—the only question was who could hold out the longest. Thus, the appearance of someone who might be enemy reinforcements took on an unusual significance.
"I… I’m just passing by," Liang Shaoqing stammered, flashing a strained smile at the blood-drenched blades in their hands. "I… I’m traveling through here. My mount got spooked… Sorry to disturb you all… I’ll be on my way now. Please, carry on."
Trembling, Liang Shaoqing straightened up and turned the donkey around, eager to quickly leave this dangerous place. In that final moment as he turned, his eyes caught sight of the young girl surrounded by the crowd. His eyelids twitched violently, and an electric jolt surged through his entire body. In that instant, he had no time to take in her appearance or clothing—all he saw were her eyes. A pair of eyes as clear and captivating as autumn waters. Though still youthful, they held a remarkable steadiness and calm. She watched him, watched him turn to leave, her gaze like a stream of icy water pouring over him from head to toe, chilling him to the bone.
"Little girl, just surrender. If this goes on, even if you don’t die by our hands, you’ll bleed to death."The soldier captain said coldly, Chu Qiao slowly shifted her heavy footsteps. The opponent was indeed a skilled tracker. With just a slight carelessness on her part, she had been entangled by the enemy. Over the past two days, although she had killed over thirty enemies, she hadn't eaten for two days and her physical strength was severely depleted. She no longer had the strength to fight, relying solely on sheer courage.
Her hand slowly moved toward the throwing knives at her waist as she took a deep breath, like a leopard waiting for the right moment, ready to determine victory or defeat at any time.
"It seems you refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" the man shouted coldly. "Brothers! Charge! Our chance for promotion and wealth lies in today's endeavor! Kill on the spot, dead or alive!"
A sharp "swish" sounded as heavy war blades came down overhead! But at that moment, a stern shout suddenly rang out. A clear, cold male voice cried loudly: "Everyone, stop!"
In the blink of an eye, everyone was greatly startled and turned to look, immediately stunned speechless!
The young scholar had returned, riding back on his donkey. Though his face was pale, he spoke with righteous indignation: "So many of you ganging up to bully a young girl—this is utterly disgraceful!"
The soldier captain frowned and said sternly, "Who might you be, young master? Why are you interfering in official matters?"
"You're from the authorities?" Liang Shaoqing seemed to notice the soldiers' uniforms only then, frowning with some difficulty. "I am Liang Shaoqing, passing through this area. Seeing you fighting here, I came to inquire. I didn't realize you were bailiffs of the government. My apologies, my apologies."
"Liang Shaoqing?"
The soldier captain muttered suspiciously, but couldn't recall any Liang family with the nerve to meddle in official affairs. His expression immediately darkened as he roared angrily, "Bystanders, get out of the way! Watch out for flying blades!"
"Yes, yes," Liang Shaoqing said hurriedly. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he couldn't help looking back and whispering, "Fighting and killing ultimately tarnishes civility. I wonder if there might be some misunderstanding? Could you tell me about it and let me mediate for everyone?"
"You're looking for death!" the captain roared furiously, raising his blade and slashing down fiercely!
"Ah!" Liang Shaoqing was terrified, covering his head, not even knowing to dodge.
"Fool!" Chu Qiao shouted coldly, throwing a knife in one swift motion. A white streak shot forth, embedding itself in the captain's neck with a swish. The man's eyes widened, he staggered two steps, then fell to the ground with a thud!
"Captain!"
The soldiers were horrified, rushing forward together. Seizing the chaos, Chu Qiao quickly stepped forward, leaped onto the scholar's gray donkey, reached around the scholar's waist from behind, grabbed the reins, and shouted sharply, "Go!"
"Ah! Miss, why are you on my mount? Men and women should not touch when giving and receiving, miss, you should still—"
A dull thud sounded as Chu Qiao delivered a heavy punch to the man's chest, kicked with both legs, and shouted, "Hyah!"
The gray donkey proved worthy, breaking into a run with speed not much slower than an ordinary warhorse.
Soon, pursuing hoofbeats sounded from behind. Chu Qiao made a quick decision, grabbing the luggage behind the donkey and throwing it to the ground.
"Ah! Miss! Those are my books, my luggage, my travel funds, my poetry manuscripts! Ah! Miss, that's my travel pass!"The gray donkey moved with remarkable speed, traversing the rugged mountain path even faster than a warhorse. Within moments, it had left the pursuers far behind.
I'll stop here for now—too exhausted. Will continue updating during daytime and definitely make up the full 12,000 words.
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