The Road to Glory

Chapter 141: Frostbite

Yang Yuanting seemed to have guessed the purpose of her visit, his expression turning even colder. With a flick of his wide sleeve, he declared, "Spare me your foul-smelling theories of governance! My Yang family wants no part in your vulgar struggles for power among the nobility. If your grandfather were still alive, his greatest regret would be allowing your mother to marry into that Wen family!"

As the head of the household, he rarely displayed such fury. Had anyone else in the residence witnessed it, they would have been terrified.

But Wen Yu didn't even lift an eyelid.

Shifting her gaze from the painting to Yang Yuanting, her eyes remained utterly calm, holding the scrutiny of a superior toward an inferior: "You discuss mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, gentle breezes, and bright moons—everything but the people's welfare and their suffering. How laughable this empty talk is! Born into an aristocratic family, enjoying ancestral wealth of hundreds of shops and thousands of acres of fertile land, Uncle can indeed close his eyes and shut his ears to play the aloof immortal above worldly concerns, espousing 'governing through non-action.'"

Wen Yu smiled faintly: "Back then, Grandfather advocated empty talk at the academy to conceal his brilliance and avoid disaster, biding his time. Yet after guarding Songya Academy and this meditation room for over a decade, you still fail to understand his painstaking efforts, instead treating it as sacred doctrine. I wonder what Grandfather would think if he knew in the afterlife."

Yang Yuanting's impression of Wen Yu remained from two years ago, subconsciously believing she was still that rebellious yet somewhat naive young maiden from the prince's residence. After his outburst, her reply remained unruffled, and the authority she had long held pressed down on him, making it hard to breathe. Her criticism of his scholarship struck a nerve, fueling his shame and anger at having his authority challenged.

He roared, "Enough of your glib tongue! If you're here to persuade my Yang family to submit to you, abandon that delusion!"

Zhao Bai, standing by the door with his sword, glanced at him, thumb pressed tightly against where the hilt met the scabbard.

Wen Yu's eyes cooled gradually: "In my most difficult times, I never sought help from your Yang family. That letter back then was written for my mother's sake, to ensure the safety of your entire clan. Now, with tens of thousands of troops under my command in the Southern Border and countless clear-minded scholars across the land writing for Great Liang, we have no shortage of hypocritical purists like your Songya Academy faction. If not for my mother's origins in your Yang family, making you my maternal kin, do you think I would personally come to Hengzhou amid this chaos?"

"You!" Yang Yuanting pointed at Wen Yu, trembling with rage.

Zhao Bai pushed his cold sword half an inch out of its scabbard, his voice low and stern: "How dare you!"

Yang Yuanting withdrew his hand in a daze. Though the study was brightly lit with candles, he felt as if a vast shadow unfolded behind Wen Yu. Those cold, strikingly beautiful eyes overflowed with the authority and decisiveness of an imperial princess.

He finally realized that the person before him was not some delicate princess propped up by old ministers due to her bloodline, but a royal princess who had fought her way step by step through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, wielding a king's sword.

Wen Yu paid Yang Yuanting no further mind, pulling up the hood of her cape as she turned to leave: "With Wei Qishan returning to serve Jin, your Yang family will inevitably face disaster if they remain in the north. My army is right outside the city. Dismiss the servants tonight, gather your valuables—it's still not too late to leave the city with me by dawn."She was almost at the door when Yang Yuanting suddenly shouted from behind, "Even if you don't come to Hengzhou, and even if Wei Qishan returns to serve as a Jin official, my Yang clan will remain unharmed!"

Wen Yu paused slightly, her expression hidden beneath the hood. She said, "I've made it clear—I came here only for my mother's sake. Since your Yang clan has made its choice, I shall depart at dawn, and no one will know of my visit. Henceforth, the rise and fall of your Yang clan have nothing to do with me!"

Zhao Bai was about to open the door for her when someone burst in from outside.

"Father! In these troubled times, with the armies of Wei and Pei locked in endless conflict, staying in Hengzhou would make us fish on the chopping block, utterly at their mercy!"

The young man who rushed in and knelt before Yang Yuanting was his son, Yang Bijun.

Yang Yuanting seemed embarrassed and looked around for a ruler to strike his son. Finding none, he raised his hand and slapped his son's back, shouting, "Get up! Marquis Wei is benevolent and righteous! Our Yang clan stays out of power struggles—why would he trouble us?"

As Yang Bijun continued to plead tearfully, Wen Yu had no interest in lingering over the father-son dispute. Once Zhao Bai opened an umbrella for her, she stepped out of the study.

Tong Que, waiting outside the door, saw the two emerge and, sensing the negotiations had gone poorly, remained silent and followed behind Wen Yu as they left.

The group reached the front courtyard, where Jiang Yu, stationed at the gate, moved to greet them. But just then, a cry came from behind the moon gate: "Your Highness, please wait!"

Wen Yu turned slightly under the umbrella and saw Yang Bijun sprinting through the snow. Upon reaching her, he hastily bowed, then gasped through the biting cold searing his lungs: "The Yang family is deeply grateful that Your Highness traveled all this way to Hengzhou to aid us. Tomorrow, all 130 members of my household will accompany you to the Southern Border."

Wen Yu frowned faintly. She had once been close to her Yang cousins and did not direct her anger at him. "But your father..." she began.

Yang Bijun bowed again urgently. "Mother and Baolin have given Father a sedative. He won't wake until noon tomorrow."

At this, his expression turned awkward. "Since Grandfather passed, Songya Academy has declined year by year. Father is rigid and conservative, growing more stubborn with time. We've tried reasoning with him repeatedly, but his obstinacy is unyielding. On behalf of my father, I apologize for his offense toward you today."

He bowed even deeper.

From the lakeside pavilion behind the moon gate, two figures hurried over with lanterns. The dim light revealed the delicate tassels on their skirts—Wen Yu's aunt and cousin.

Fearing they might miss her, they had taken the shortcut across the lake. Now, though they saw her, they could only watch from across the lotus pond, not daring to call out lest the neighbors notice. Weeping silently, they dabbed their eyes with handkerchiefs and curtsied from afar, their gazes full of remorse.

Seeing her cousin and aunt, Wen Yu recalled the days when she had visited Hengzhou with her mother. Her heart softened slightly. Her detour to Hengzhou after leaving Dingzhou had never been for her mother's brother alone, but for all her mother's kin.

Yang Yuanting might be stubborn and decayed, but the fate of this large clan was not his alone to sacrifice.Wen Yu said to Yang Biyun, "Cousin, please rise. We are family. I entered the city as part of a merchant convoy and must leave by Chen hour tomorrow at the latest. There is still time needed to dismiss the servants and pack the valuables. Cousin, please go and make the arrangements first."

Hearing her address him as "cousin," Yang Biyun finally breathed a sigh of relief. When he lifted his head, a faint redness was visible in his eyes. The affection of their youth had been severed by the upheavals in Luodu and Fengyang, creating an insurmountable chasm. He said, "Thank you, Princess. This humble servant will go and make the arrangements."

He hurried away to deploy the tasks. Jiang Yu stood a few steps away, squinting as he watched Yang Biyun's retreating figure for a moment.

The night was cold and heavy with frost. As Zheng Hu walked out of the forest, stepping on a carpet of pine needles, he accidentally bumped into a frost-covered branch. The icicles instantly fell onto his neck, freezing him so much that he quickly brushed his neck and gasped repeatedly.

Not far away, by the campfire, Xiao Li, Song Qin, and Zhang Huai sat together in a circle.

Xiao Li used a half-burnt branch to sketch a rough map of the terrain on the ground, discussing the tactics for the next day's encirclement and suppression of the Pei Army with the other two.

After Zheng Hu walked over and sat down, he began drying his snow-soaked pant legs by the fire, grumbling, "This is no job for humans. Here we are, sleeping in the wild on a snowy night, while that Second Young Master Wei has it good, cozying up in the city's lap of luxury. And he has the nerve to add his name to the battle reports."

The previous battle in Youzhou had somewhat restored the morale of the Wei army. Recently, the barbarians had not been attacking fiercely, so Xiao Li's thirty-thousand-strong righteous army was not assigned to defend the city. Instead, they were dispatched by Wei Qishan to reclaim the territories lost to Pei Song.

Wei Pingjin was also thrown into the mix as an Army Supervisor, ostensibly to gain experience under Xiao Li's guidance.

Zhang Hu turned the roasted sweet potatoes in the hot ashes and said, "Whether the former Jin princess found by the Marquis of Shuobian is real or not remains unclear, but it seems she is destined to become a daughter-in-law of the Wei family. In the future, that Second Young Master Wei will be our lord. No matter how much the Marquis of Shuobian appears to disdain this son, he has still paved every step of the way for him. To help him build connections in the military, he first had him follow General Liao in defending Youzhou, and now he’s accompanying the Prefectural Lord to reclaim lost territories."

Zheng Hu thought of Wei Pingjin's conduct during the previous battle in Youzhou and felt a headache coming on. He suddenly sighed, "No matter who you ask, the Marquis of Shuobian is hailed as a heroic ruler of his generation. It's a pity he fathered such a worthless son."

Zhang Hu scooped a few roasted sweet potatoes out of the ashes and distributed them to the others, laughing, "What's the big deal? In peaceful times, even if a pig sat on the throne, the officials would still bow and pay their respects."

Zheng Hu tossed the sweet potato from hand to hand to avoid burning himself, grinning as he said, "It all comes down to being born lucky."

Song Qin split the sweet potato in his hands and took a bite, heedless of the heat. "I suspect the Marquis of Shuobian sent his son along for more than just to claim military merits."

Zhang Hu said, "Although the various righteous armies are now under the Prefectural Lord's command, their loyalties are not yet unified. If the Prefectural Lord were sent alone to reclaim the lost territories, after several battles, these thirty thousand righteous troops would undoubtedly become a solid force under his command. Sending Wei Pingjin along is to sway the leaders of the righteous armies, letting them know there’s a shortcut they can take."

The leaders of the righteous armies initially sought Xiao Li's favor because they were overlooked by the Wei army in Youzhou and wanted to find someone to rely on.

But now, it seemed Wei Qishan also intended to win over those righteous armies.

Song Qin said, "The fact that thirty thousand righteous troops are directly under the Prefectural Lord’s command still makes the Marquis of Shuobian uneasy."The group turned their attention to Xiao Li, who seemed oblivious to their conversation, still staring at the rough terrain sketched on the ground. "The Pei Army's movements these past few days have been unusual," he remarked.

Everyone immediately recognized the urgency of the current military situation and drew closer.

Using a small branch, Xiao Li traced the Pei Army's recent retreat routes. "They've been avoiding confrontation, luring us southward. We're nearly beyond the borders of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun."

Zhang Huai studied the dots Xiao Li had poked into the ground marking their position and the distances to northern border defense camps, his expression turning grave. "A diversion tactic?"

Xiao Li neither confirmed nor denied it. "We can't let them lead us further south."

Song Qin interjected, "But Bandit Pei has been plundering supplies from civilians along their route. Our orders are to pursue the Pei Army and reclaim lost territory. Turning back now would violate military commands. If the Pei Army massacres villages or cities, we'll be held accountable."

Zheng Hu sprang up angrily, "Damn it! That Bandit Pei planned this all along!"

Zhang Huai frowned deeply. "This confirms our suspicions—the barbarians are likely preparing a surprise attack."

After a moment's contemplation, Xiao Li declared, "Dispatch urgent messages to all border defense camps, including Weizhou. Tomorrow, only two light cavalry units will continue pursuing the Pei Army. The main forces will remain here awaiting orders."

After the meeting, everyone returned to their military tents to rest.

By noon the next day, Xiao Li was leading a light cavalry unit in pursuit of a Pei Army detachment. When scouts returned from monitoring the enemy's movements, they reported, "Commander, the Pei Army has abruptly stopped heading south and turned toward Hengzhou!"

Song Qin, accompanying Xiao Li, was equally perplexed. "Their movements grow more baffling. Hengzhou isn't even part of the Sixteen Prefectures—what could they want there?"

Unfamiliar with territories beyond the Northern Border's Yanyun region, Xiao Li asked, "What significance does Hengzhou hold?"

An informed officer answered, "I believe it's the maternal clan territory of Changlian Wang's consort. After Fengyang fell, they defected to Marquis Shuobian to avoid Pei Song's retaliation."

Song Qin instantly grasped the implication, exclaiming to Xiao Li, "Disaster!"

A subtle shift crossed Xiao Li's eyes as he tugged the reins. "To Hengzhou."

After Wen Yu reunited the Yang household with the Liang troops stationed outside the city, they proceeded south as planned.

But shortly after the army's departure, scouts reported Wei forces pursuing them from behind.

Wen Yu was certain there had been no slip-ups during their exit. The Yang household had been gathered at the courier station before dawn. To avoid alerting gate guards about the sudden expansion of their "merchant convoy," subordinates had exited in batches disguised as commoners.

If Wei Qishan—having publicly pledged renewed loyalty to Jin—had posted watchers to prevent the Yang family's escape, Zhao Bai had already spent hours surveilling the Yang residence before her arrival yesterday and detected nothing unusual.

She asked the scout, "How did the Wei troops catch wind?"

The scout replied, "Reports say bandits raided the Yang residence this morning. When Wei troops went to arrest them, they found the place empty. The bandits were highly skilled and have already left the city. The Wei forces split—some chasing the bandits, others pursuing the Yang household."

Wen Yu frowned. "Bandits?"There were many wealthy households in Hengzhou City, so even if bandits entered the city, they couldn't have purposefully headed straight for the Yang residence. The origins of this group of bandits were truly suspicious.

After waving for the scout to withdraw, her furrowed brow remained tense.

Zhao Bai said, "At this critical juncture when Wei Qishan has declared his return to being a Jin official, if anything happens to the Yang residence, everyone will think it's connected to Wei Qishan."

Wen Yu's eyes were clear yet profound: "Not only can this tarnish Wei Qishan's reputation, but it can also completely ignite the hatred between the Liang and Wei camps. Pei Song's scheme of diverting trouble to the east is well calculated."

Zhao Bai glanced toward Fengyang and said, "By this time, the Azure Guard sent to raid Hong'en Temple should have already taken action. I just don't know if they successfully rescued the princess consort and the ministers. If that group of bandits is also disguised as Pei Song's Hawk Hounds, and their target is the Yang family, I'm afraid they won't give up easily."

With Northern Wei pursuers in the open and the Pei family's venomous schemes in the dark, their return journey was unlikely to be smooth.

After a moment of contemplation, Wen Yu said, "Summon Jiang Yu. A force of two thousand is too conspicuous; we need to split up our troops."

In a nearby carriage, Yang Yuanting had regained consciousness. However, Madam Yang, fearing the stubborn old man might cause trouble on the road, had him tied up with silk ribbons and gagged with a handkerchief.

Initially, Yang Yuanting glared angrily, looking as if he could devour his wife and children. But after hearing Wen Yu and the scout talking outside the carriage, his struggles subsided, and he stopped making muffled noises.

Yang Bijun sat on the opposite cushion, relieved that the entire family had escaped with their lives, yet unable to shake off the lingering fear. Madam Yang and her daughter were already pale with fright.

Madam Yang looked at her husband with tearful reproach: "All these years, you've always been like this. Even in matters of life and death, must you insist on dragging the entire family to their doom before you're satisfied?"

Yang Yuanting seemed ashamed and closed his eyes.

Yang Bijun, recalling how harshly his father had spoken to Wen Yu the previous night, and now that both the Pei and Wei factions had set their sights on them, realized their only hope lay with Wen Yu. He felt even more ashamed and said:

"I know Father believes that since the Yang family stays out of politics, and given Marquis Wei's character, he wouldn't trouble our family. But once caught in this situation, it's not always possible to remain detached just because we wish to. Aunt was the Princess of Changlian during her lifetime and was posthumously honored as Empress Wenhui of Great Liang after her passing. The princess also carries the blood of our Yang lineage. As long as our family holds even the slightest potential to influence the powerful factions of the world, the executioner's blade will always hang over our heads. Only the princess will truly protect our Yang family."

He looked at Yang Yuanting and knelt down: "Father, please apologize to the princess. Otherwise, how can our Yang family have the face to accept such great kindness from her?"

Yang Yuanting remained silent. Yang Bijun knelt forward and removed the handkerchief from his mouth.

Unexpectedly, Yang Yuanting's first words were still resentful: "If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have married Yunying to the Wen family..."

Before Yang Bijun could respond, Madam Yang snatched the handkerchief and stuffed it firmly back into his mouth. Clutching her silk handkerchief, she pointed at Yang Yuanting and said tearfully, "Don't let him speak for the rest of the journey!"

With that, she buried her face in her daughter's shoulder and wept.

Naturally, Wen Yu was unaware of the commotion in the Yang family's carriage.After summoning Jiang Yu, she ordered the two thousand righteous army troops to split into several groups and take different routes to secretly return to the Southern Border.

A large target within Northern Border territory would easily allow the Wei army to capture them all in one sweep.

Regarding whether to travel with the Yang household, both Zhao Bai and Jiang Yu unanimously advised against it. Currently, neither the Wei army nor Pei Song’s forces knew that Wen Yu was also in the Northern Border, so their target was only the Yang household, and the troops dispatched were limited.

If the Yang household managed to escape the Northern Border, it wouldn’t be a significant loss for either Pei or Wei.

However, if news of Wen Yu’s presence in the Northern Border were to leak, both Pei Song and Wei Qishan would undoubtedly spare no effort in hunting her down. Therefore, traveling with the Yang household would pose the greatest danger to both her and the Yang family.

After deciding on a method to shake off the pursuers, Wen Yu bid farewell to Madam Yang and her two cousins before parting ways with them.

To avoid causing trouble for Wen Yu and to protect his mother, sister, and the rest of the clan, Yang Bijun even proposed that he alone follow a squad of the righteous army to act as bait.

Wen Yu naturally refused, but Yang Bijun had made up his mind. Bowing to her, he said, "Your Highness traveled thousands of miles to rescue us, and the entire Yang family is already deeply grateful. Now that circumstances have changed, we must not involve Your Highness in further danger. Moreover, my decision to take this risk is largely for the sake of the Yang family."

If the Yang clan had never left Hengzhou, it would have been one thing. But having secretly departed Hengzhou, they had effectively chosen sides between the Liang and Wei camps. If recaptured, they would no longer receive the previous courtesies and would truly become bargaining chips for Northern Wei to threaten Wen Yu.

As the two stood at an impasse, the carriage curtain was lifted. Madam Yang, her eyes red, said to Wen Yu, "Your Highness, please let him go. He is the eldest son of the Yang family. When the entire household faces danger, it is his duty to step forward. Hiding and cowering would make him unworthy of being a true man and would betray the teachings of the sages he has studied. How could he then set an example for the younger generations of the clan?"

Yang Bijun bowed to Wen Yu once more, pleading earnestly, "I beg Your Highness to grant me this."

How could Wen Yu not understand that his decision was meant to sacrifice himself to draw away the pursuers, ensuring her safety and that of the entire Yang family as they returned to the Southern Border? If misfortune befell him, she would remember his sacrifice today, overlook Yang Yuanting’s offensive remarks, and protect the Yang family in all matters.

Power truly had a way of making everything around it feel unfamiliar.

The memory of him and her cousin Baolin calling her "cousin" two years ago felt as if it were just yesterday. Now, the entire household addressed her respectfully as "Your Highness."

A wave of bitterness suddenly welled up in Wen Yu’s heart. She turned away and ordered Zhao Bai, "Assign six Azure Guard members to my cousin."

She still called him "cousin."

Yang Bijun watched her retreating figure, his eyes slowly reddening. He bowed once more and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Wen Yu did not look back.

After splitting up, the troops became much lighter, and their marching speed increased significantly.

Around noon, Wen Yu ordered the soldiers, who had been marching all morning, to take a brief rest by the roadside.

Zhao Bai had gone to fetch water but had not returned for a long time. Just as Wen Yu was about to send someone to check on him, commotion erupted outside the carriage.

She lifted the curtain and saw Zhao Bai dragging a seemingly lifeless Chen Jun soldier back to camp like a dead dog. He then raised his whip and lashed out at Jiang Yu, who was gathered with the Southern Chen soldiers: "Traitor!"Jiang Yu reacted swiftly, leaning back just in time to evade the whistling whip from Zhao Bai. Before he could steady himself, Zhao Bai swung the whip again. Dodging once more, Jiang Yu had no time to draw his sword and instead blocked Zhao Bai's pressing blade with its scabbard. His handsome brows furrowed as he suppressed his anger and asked in bewilderment, "What madness has taken you?"

Due to Dou Jianliang's betrayal, during the Southern Chen troops' northward journey over the past half-month, there had been frequent covert clashes with the Liang army. Now, both sides drew their weapons in a tense standoff, with conflict ready to erupt at any moment.

Zhao Bai coldly spat out two words: "Playing dumb!"

As her wrist twisted sharply, the sword's edge poised to strike again, Wen Yu's clear, stern command came from behind: "Hold!"

Only when Zhao Bai saw Wen Yu being assisted down from the carriage by Tong Que did she sheathe her sword, positioning herself and a group of Azure Guard and Liang soldiers protectively in front of Wen Yu.

Her blade remained pointed at Jiang Yu and his men as she declared icily, "Their Chen army are traitors—they leaked news of Your Highness's presence at the Northern Border."

At these words, Wen Yu and all the soldiers present were stunned.

Jiang Yu's expression darkened, his refined features contorted with rage as he shouted, "Stop slandering us!"

Zhao Bai turned her gaze to him, unscrewed her water flask, and poured the cold water over the face of the captured Chen soldier she had dragged back. She then tossed down the quiver from her back.

The quiver's design matched the standard issue of the Chen army, evidently seized from the captive soldier.

When it hit the ground, arrows and several cloth strips spilled out.

Seeing the strips, Jiang Yu's brow twitched violently. He crouched to pick one up, unfurling it to reveal the words "Princess Han Yang accompanying the army" starkly written in cinnabar.

Zhao Bai stated coldly, "While searching for water sources, I noticed this soldier from your ranks acting suspiciously and trailed him. I saw him double back to a previous crossroads and nail this strip to a tree with an arrow. Similar markers were placed at junctions further ahead!"

The soldier had begun to groan and slowly regain consciousness during this time.

Zhao Bai added, "When I captured him, he tried to bite into a poison sac to kill himself, so I dislocated his jaw."

Jiang Yu's eyes held a mix of anguish and suppressed fury as he looked at the soldier. Among the two thousand troops accompanying them, a thousand were elite Southern Chen soldiers he had personally selected—men who had fought alongside him through life-and-death battles.

He drove his fist directly into the soldier's jaw, forcibly resetting the dislocated bone, then grabbed his collar and demanded, "Who ordered you to do this?"

Blood trickled from the soldier's nose and mouth, but he grinned at Jiang Yu like a rogue: "Commander, why ask? Wasn't it you who gave the order?"

Hearing this, Wen Yu's eyes narrowed slightly.

Jiang Yu responded with another punch to the soldier's face, knocking out a front tooth.

He vented his fury with several more blows until the man lay lifeless. Then, turning, he knelt on one knee before Wen Yu with the hundred Southern Chen soldiers behind him, his expression grim. "This general failed in his duties, allowing vermin to infiltrate our ranks. I beg Your Highness to punish me."

The moment the soldier implicated him, Jiang Yu knew he had been framed.

Wen Yu asked, "Commander Jiang, are you truly unaware of this?"

Jiang Yu smiled bitterly. "My mission is to ensure Your Highness's safety. If you were endangered, I would sacrifice my own life first. Why would I seek my own destruction?"

Wen Yu replied, "Yet a traitor emerged from your troops. I cannot be certain such an incident will not recur."A scout galloped urgently from the distance, tumbling off his horse as he neared, his expression bordering on panic as he reported: "Alert—the Wei troops that left the city this morning are pursuing us at full speed and are now less than fifteen li away! Another Pei Army unit twenty li to the east is also closing in!"

The faces of everyone present darkened.

The biting wind howling through the mountains ruffled Wen Yu’s hair and the hairpins adorned with delicate golden leaf tokens. Her hands and feet were icy cold, her long lashes lowered, yet her expression was unprecedentedly calm.

There was a spy among the elite Southern Border troops Jiang Yu commanded, and he hadn’t even detected it until today. That made the situation particularly thorny.

Whoever managed to plant a mole by Jiang Yu’s side, bypassing both the Empress Dowager and the Jiang Family—and with no certainty whether it was just one or if others lay deeper in the shadows—must be a formidable figure within the Southern Border.

Whether she and Jiang Yu fell into the hands of the Pei Army or the Wei troops, it would bring nothing but harm to the Southern Border.

Yet the other side proceeded regardless, indicating that the benefits they stood to gain from the Southern Border’s decline outweighed all else.

In a flash of insight, Wen Yu recalled her earlier attempt to persuade Qi Simiao, the Southern Border’s Senior Counselor, to support her.

Hadn’t the Western Mausoleum always been eyeing the Southern Border covetously?

Were there already officials in the Southern Border court secretly colluding with the Western Mausoleum?

They had remained dormant throughout the journey north, perhaps because their route had avoided Pei Army garrisons, and Wei Qishan had yet to declare his intention to rejoin the Jin ministers.

Had their detour to Hengzhou to rescue the Yang Family provided the opportunity they needed?

"Your Highness should proceed ahead. This general will lead the Chen troops to cover the rear!"

Wen Yu’s contemplation was cut short by Jiang Yu’s declaration.

She lifted her gaze to meet his. His eyes smoldered with suppressed fury and resentment, making it clear he had reached the same conclusions she had.

Since he couldn’t guarantee his ranks were free of further spies, the only solution was to completely separate the Liang and Chen troops.

He would lead the Chen troops as the rear guard, while the Liang soldiers and the Azure Guard escorted Wen Yu southward.

Zhao Bai’s decision to escalate the matter publicly from the start had likely aimed for this very outcome.

After holding Jiang Yu’s gaze for a moment, Wen Yu said, "This princess will await Commander Jiang ahead."

With no time to spare, she turned back toward her carriage. Zhao Bai immediately ordered the troops to advance at full speed.

Meanwhile, Tong Que began removing her thin jacket, saying, "Your Highness, please exchange garments with your servant."

But Wen Yu replied, "I must not appear to be part of this convoy."

Tong Que and Zhao Bai were momentarily stunned before grasping her meaning.

Even if a spy had leaked news of her accompanying the army north, both the Liang and Chen factions must adamantly deny it. Should anything happen to her, it wouldn’t only devastate the morale of both camps but also impact the Southern Border’s military situation.

Thus, even for Wen Yu’s safety, no decoy could impersonate her to divert the enemy, lest the Pei or Wei forces obtain concrete evidence.

Wen Yu continued, "Send word back to the Liang Camp. Have them publicly declare that this princess has remained at Chong Sheng Temple, conducting funeral rites for my mentor and General Yuchi, and never left Pingzhou."

"As for the intelligence the Southern Border spy leaked, claim it was a false message deliberately spread to mislead pursuing troops during the rescue of the Yang Family."Now that she had become the visible target, Yang Biyun and the rest of the Yang household should be able to safely reach the Southern Border.

Both Zhao Bai and Tong Que were momentarily stunned, astonished that in such a life-threatening situation, she could still think so clearly and devise the most advantageous response for the overall situation.

Once they grasped her plan, Zhao Bai quickly rose and headed out: "I'll find a set of armor for Your Highness."

Since "Han Yang" could not appear in the convoy, Wen Yu disguising herself as an ordinary soldier was the safest option.

The midday sun grew glaring, its heat gradually melting the thin layer of snow that had accumulated overnight on the forest treetops. Slender pine needles dripped with melting snowwater.

Along the muddy yellow Official road, a ragged band of soldiers trudged through the mire, escorting two horse-drawn carriages.

The wind swept through the woods on either side, where the branches were still laden with thin snow. Not even a rustle could be heard—the entire world was eerily silent.

As another drop of melted snowwater dripped from a pine needle, several Grappling hooks shot out from deep within the forest. The cold iron shattered the droplet mid-air before clanging as they embedded into the thick wooden carriage walls.

Instantly, the chains of eight grappling hooks tightened, tearing away the left and right walls of both carriages on the official road.

Screams erupted from inside the carriages, while the accompanying soldiers shouted, "We're under attack!"

Several bat-like black figures flew out from the pine forest, heading straight for the carriage carrying passengers. As the black-clad figures reached out to grab the woman dressed like an official's daughter, who was crouching and clinging to two maidservants, the two trembling maids suddenly struck. Rising to their feet, they slashed out with daggers in hand.

One of the black-clad figures nearby was caught off guard, but the leader reacted swiftly, dodging the attack and breaking the maidservant's arm in retaliation. When he reached for the other maidservant disguised as the official's daughter, she lifted her gaze, and he barely managed to block with his forearm in time—saving his throat from being slit at the cost of a bloody gash on his arm.

Tong Que tore off the outer gown that hindered her movement, deliberately adopting the tone of a Yang household death warrior: "Still think you can capture our mistress and young lady? You've fallen into our trap!"

The black-clad figures scanned their surroundings but found no other women who appeared to be nobility. Frowning deeply, they immediately began to withdraw.

As the leader leaped over the soldiers' heads to escape, he caught a glimpse of a soldier below whose movements were unusually agile. This soldier, along with several others, was protecting one particular soldier with impeccable defense.

Realizing what this meant, he smirked coldly, whistled, and led the retreating black-clad figures in a sudden assault on those soldiers.

When Zhao Bai's blade clashed with the leader's, she recognized him instantly by his eyes alone. Her sword hand trembled slightly, her eyes brimming with intense hatred as she ground out the name through clenched teeth: "Pei... Shi... Wu!"

Hearing that name, Wen Yu was reminded of the rainy night when Xiao Li had nearly been surrounded and killed. Her grip on the sword tightened, yet she still shivered in the cold wind.

In that moment, memories etched into her bones defied description—rage, terror, and the deepest despair she had ever experienced.

Pei Song had actually sent Pei Shiwu to capture her!

No!

Pei Song couldn't have received news of her presence at the Northern Border so quickly.

If this man was here now, it could only mean that the bandits who had gone to the Yang residence this morning were them!Pei Shiwu deliberately provoked Zhao Bai, his gaze sweeping over the sword in her hand as he remarked lightly, "This sword... I remember it, but didn’t I already behead you once in Fengyang?"

The one who died in Fengyang was Zhao Bai’s twin sister, Can Ye.

Before Zhao Bai could react in anger, his gaze shifted past her, filled with scorn and malice. "But since you’re here, the news about Princess Han Yang being at the Northern Border must be true as well."

As his eyes met Wen Yu’s, the corners of his lips curled. "Princess Han Yang, we meet again."