Shadow Love (Yu Jin Chang An)

A swift steed carried Li Shuang from the northern frontier to the capital of Great Jin in half the usual time, racing day and night without rest.

Her return to the capital came far too early, catching everyone by surprise—even Grand General Li Lan had not anticipated it.

When Li Shuang arrived at the general's estate, Li Ting was the first to rush out to greet her. No sooner had she dismounted than he threw himself into her arms. "Elder Sister! Father said you'd be coming home soon, but I didn't believe him! How did you get back so quickly?"

Before she could answer, Li Lan, as dignified as ever, followed close behind. The grand general was nearing fifty, and the years had inevitably carved lines into his face. Yet these marks did not make him appear aged—rather, they deepened the authority accumulated over time.

Three years had passed since they last met. Li Shuang had fled to the northern frontier, unwilling to return to the capital, yet she had not been without longing for Li Lan.

She was an adopted daughter of the general's household, but Li Lan had treated her no differently than Li Ting. He had taught her horsemanship and archery, military strategy, and even arranged for her to study and train alongside the noble sons and daughters of the capital. Most of all, he had respected her wishes, allowing her to serve as a general on the northern frontier—a post that had kept her away for three long years.

Li Shuang could not help but feel immense gratitude toward him.

Pushing aside the still-clinging Li Ting, she stepped forward and bowed deeply, nearly prostrating herself. "Father, Shuang has been unfilial. For three years, I—"

Li Lan caught her arm and pulled her upright. "After years apart, you've grown distant with me. Unfilial? You defended Great Jin's borders for this old man. If that's unfilial, then this rascal Li Ting here ought to be thrown away."

"Exactly, exactly! Elder Sister, don't say such things, or Father really will toss me out!" Li Ting chimed in with playful exaggeration. The old general laughed and swatted his head, and even Li Shuang couldn't suppress a smile.

Yet her heart was heavy with matters unresolved, and her mirth quickly faded. "Father," she called softly. Li Lan understood and nodded. "Come inside first. Clean up and rest. We can speak of other matters later."

But Li Shuang shook her head. "Father, I have no time to delay." The mere thought of someone suffering in prison at this very moment made it impossible for her to remain calm.

Li Lan lowered his gaze slightly. "What is so urgent?"

"I must seek an audience with His Majesty and request permission to lead fifty thousand troops."

The mention of mobilizing troops made Li Lan frown. But seeing the resolve in Li Shuang's eyes, he paused in thought. "You've always been steady-minded. If you've made this decision, you must have your reasons. I won't question you. But think carefully—your return to the capital was by His Majesty's decree. If you have another request for him, have you considered how you will repay his favor?"

The implication was clear. Li Shuang was an excellent commander, but what Sima Yang wanted from her was not merely to be a general.

Li Shuang bowed her head. "Shuang understands."

From the moment she had spurred her horse back to the capital, she had already prepared herself for all consequences.

Yet even so, she had to save him—even if she still did not know his name.

Li Lan ordered an escort to accompany Li Shuang into the palace. The imperial city remained unchanged, yet the emperor was no longer the same. From now on, this palace would be vastly different from the one she had known as a child.

The world was ever cold and indifferent, but there was no time for further reflection. Soon enough, she stood before Sima Yang in the imperial study.Not a public summons, the matter Li Shuang wished to request was not something that could be discussed openly among the ministers.

Three months had passed since they last met. When Sima Yang left the northern frontier, Li Shuang had been unconscious. Now, reunited, both were silent for a moment. Yet compared to Li Shuang’s solemnity, the flickering depths of Sima Yang’s dark eyes seemed to betray a hint of emotion.

"Li Shuang," Sima Yang finally spoke, breaking the unbearable silence in the imperial study. "You always defy my expectations." He casually tossed aside the document in his hand and stood. "I thought you wouldn’t return." He walked around the desk, stopping before Li Shuang, an uncharacteristic smile touching his lips. "Now that you’re back, I won’t ever..." He reached out as if to grasp her arm.

Li Shuang’s gaze lowered slightly as she took a step back, then dropped to one knee in a perfectly executed military salute. "Your Majesty."

Sima Yang’s hand froze midair.

"Li Shuang dares to beg Your Majesty to grant her one wish."

At her words, Sima Yang remembered—that day in the cave’s quagmire, he had promised Li Shuang that if she managed to escape the mud alive, he would grant her any request.

Whether she wished to marry him or leave him, he had given her the freedom to choose. Because in that moment, she had chosen to sacrifice herself to save his life.

This was his repayment of gratitude, as well as the guilt buried deep in his heart. And now, the moment they met again, Li Shuang brought it up...

She must want to leave. Sima Yang guessed as much, yet still looked down and asked, "What is your request?"

"I beg Your Majesty to grant me fifty thousand troops to march on South Changshan."

"March on South Changshan?" It was a completely unexpected demand. Sima Yang narrowed his eyes slightly. "For what purpose?"

Li Shuang raised her head to meet his gaze, her eyes steady and unwavering. "I wish to save someone. He once risked his life to rescue the Changfeng Battalion and Lucheng in their hour of peril." She paused. "And he also saved me from certain death. He has done great service to the frontier... and to me."

"That red-eyed man?" Sima Yang interrupted.

"It is him."

Sima Yang fell silent for a moment. "Do you know his origins?"

"No."

"His name?"

"No."

For a moment, Sima Yang felt as though he no longer recognized Li Shuang. "You rushed back from the frontier just to ask me this?"

"Yes." Li Shuang bowed her head. "I know borrowing troops is absurd, but I have no other choice."

A long silence settled over the imperial study. Sima Yang knew Li Shuang well, and so he understood the resolve behind her quiet. She had not mentioned leaving the capital or him, yet this request chilled him more deeply than if she had.

The Li Shuang of the past would never have thrown caution to the wind for the sake of one person.

To exhaust all means, to stake everything—for someone whose name she didn’t even know.

The Li Shuang of the past had fought for the nation, for her family, for the glory of the General’s Manor, and for her own achievements. But now, the request she voiced seemed to cast all of that aside.

"Shuang’er, I won’t hide it from you. If I grant you fifty thousand troops to march on South Changshan without justification, how will the court’s balance of power...""Of course, I dare not trouble Your Majesty. The Nanchang Mountains have long been occupied by a clan of sorcerers who exploit the common people through underhanded means. For years, they have run rampant like bandits and thieves, a persistent affliction in the south that must be eradicated."

Finding an excuse to deploy troops was second nature to Li Shuang. The art of war is deception, and when it came to spinning tales, she was no less skilled than the slick-tongued officials at court. Having provided her reason for the campaign, she continued, "Cleansing the Nanchang Mountains will be a generous gift from the General's Manor to Your Majesty. Once the war is over and I return, I will hand over the command of fifty thousand troops, the garrison of Lubei City in the northern frontier, and the Changfeng Battalion. From then on, I shall hold no military position—merely a maiden awaiting marriage in the General's Manor."

A maiden with military merits—who she married was not even for the Grand General to decide, but for the Emperor himself to decree.

At first glance, Li Shuang's words seemed perfectly reasonable, but upon closer reflection, they carried a hint of enticement—even a veiled threat. Grant her the fifty thousand troops, and she would relinquish her military authority. But if denied, would she still surrender it? Would the General's Manor still have a maiden awaiting marriage?

Sima Yang fixed his gaze on Li Shuang's ink-black eyes, then suddenly curved his lips into a faint smile. "Very well."

No need for elaboration—understanding sufficed.

Sima Yang did care for Li Shuang. They were childhood sweethearts, bound by youthful affection and life-saving gratitude. Yet he was the sovereign, and she his subject. She had once helped him catch a cunning hare, and her family had long been his loyal hounds.

Between them, undercurrents surged—games of interest, schemes, and silent contests.

Sima Yang turned back to his desk and picked up a brush. Before writing, he glanced once more at Li Shuang, who knelt before him in military salute. Clad in red robes and silver armor, her face bore traces of exhaustion from her arduous journey, her hair slightly disheveled. Yet her posture and expression remained as steadfast as a verdant bamboo—unyielding.

"Shuang'er," Sima Yang wrote out the decree, "I only hope you won't regret this someday."

The only response was Li Shuang's reverent bow—kneeling, head lowered to her chest, hands raised in submission. "Your subject receives the decree."

Li Shuang secured the fifty thousand troops and soon set out to purge the sorcerer clan from the Nanchang Mountains. The court was in an uproar; the martial world trembled. The move was too sudden—no one had anticipated it.

For a time, rumors and speculations ran rampant among the people.

Li Shuang paid them no heed. Having received her orders, she made her preparations and led the fifty thousand troops south to the Nanchang Mountains. This time, she was not going to war—she was going to save someone.