The Road to Glory

Chapter 142 Pregnancy

Goosebumps instantly prickled across Wen Yu's forearms, yet her eyes meeting the opponent's gaze remained cold as a frozen blade.

Seizing the opening, Zhao Bai forcefully twisted her wrist, using the hilt to redirect the opposing blade before thrusting her sword straight at the enemy's throat. Pei Shiwu parried with his scabbard, but Zhao Bai hooked her foot into a mud puddle, splattering filth that forced him to avert his eyes. With her freed left hand, she drew another long blade from her waist and swung it horizontally, shouting to the Azure Guard behind her, "Take the princess and go!"

The ferocity of her blade strike proved even more masterful than her swordplay.

Pei Shiwu's pupils contracted as he could only raise his blade to deflect Zhao Bai's neck-seeking sword, switching to a sturdier scabbard to block the vicious strike aimed at his flank.

Several Azure Guard members seized the moment to escort Wen Yu through the chaotic crowd, struggling to break through the encirclement. Suddenly, a "whoosh" echoed through the air as a signal flare shot skyward.

Wen Yu looked up to see the firework explode against the horizon, her heart sinking.

It was the Hawk Hound's signal to the Pei Army's rear forces.

The Pei Army would soon advance upon them.

The Liang army soldiers and Azure Guard below were visibly affected by the signal flare, their defense against the Hawk Hound's assault momentarily faltering. In the lapse, a Hawk Hound member broke through and reached directly for Wen Yu.

Gritting her silver teeth, Wen Yu gripped her sword with both hands and slashed upward diagonally with desperate force.

The Hawk Hound member clearly hadn't expected her to wield a sword, his eyes widening in shock as he sidestepped, managing only to grab the hair ribbon holding her unadorned black tresses after she'd removed all hair ornaments.

The ruthless arc of her blade forced him back, tearing loose Wen Yu's hair ribbon. Her waterfall of dark hair cascaded down, strands whipped across her cheeks by the cold wind, framing moon-clear eyes filled with chilling ferocity that held a captivating dread.

Had the Hawk Hound member dodged any slower, that strike would have severed his entire arm.

His gaze toward her brimmed with disbelief, as if he never imagined someone as delicate as a lotus pond flower could suddenly bristle with thorns.

The earlier mistake had chilled the Azure Guard with cold sweat, and they immediately reformed their protective circle around Wen Yu, sealing her securely within.

Wen Yu's sword-gripping hands still trembled slightly from the intense muscle contraction moments before, yet her voice emerged remarkably steady: "Break through before the Pei Army arrives!"

She possessed no true combat skills—only during her time in Pingzhou, when overwork led to illness from handling official duties, had she begun dedicating half an hour daily to basic martial arts under Zhao Bai's guidance. This built the physical foundation allowing her to wield blades.

Perhaps intimidated by her composure, the initially flustered Azure Guard gradually organized their defense as they fought outward, no longer leaving openings against the Hawk Hound's fierce assaults.

"Hyah!" Tong Que's shout came from ahead. Seeing Wen Yu and Zhao Bai both pinned down, she severed the carriage reins, leaped onto a horse's back, and leaned sideways while gripping the saddle, extending her other hand toward Wen Yu. "Princess, ride with me!"

Just as Wen Yu reached out, the Pei Hawk Hounds whistled a sharp warning upon recognizing the danger.In an instant, cold arrows rained down from both sides of the official road like a sudden storm. Wen Yu was immediately tackled to the ground by the Azure Guard, while the Liang army soldiers fell in great numbers, like wheat stalks cut down by a long sickle.

Tong Que, on horseback, had nowhere to hide. When her horse’s leg was struck by an arrow and it neighed, stumbling forward, she rolled to the ground, narrowly avoiding the volley of crossbow bolts that embedded themselves like steel nails in the mud.

Wen Yu was covered in mud, the chill seeping through her soaked clothes and into her bones, making her teeth chatter. Yet, she felt a warm, damp sensation on her back, and the smell of blood grew stronger. She tried to ask how the Azure Guard behind her was faring, but her gaze fell on the murky puddle beside her, its muddy water slowly turning the color of rouge.

The Azure Guard protecting her had been riddled with arrows in the chaotic volley, their bodies pierced like sieves.

Her fingers dug deep into the mud, and in the biting north wind that cut like a cold blade, her eyes reddened. She wanted to let out a grief-stricken cry, but she couldn’t hear any sound she made.

In the distance, Zhao Bai and Tong Que fought desperately to reach her, but Zhao Bai was tightly encircled by Pei Shiwu and several other Hawk Hounds using the same entrapment tactic they had employed to besiege Xiao Li.

Zhao Bai’s clothes were slashed with multiple bloody gashes, her face stained with blood. Her eyes wide with fury, she resembled a frenzied leopard, charging recklessly toward Wen Yu. As she did, the Hawk Hounds viciously sliced more wounds into her body, forcing her to stagger and kneel in the mud, leaning on her sword for support.

Tong Que had rolled into the weeds by the roadside, but every time she tried to emerge, she was forced back by the relentless hail of arrows. When she attempted to force her way out, an arrow pierced through her shoulder.

Wen Yu didn’t know how much time had passed before the arrow rain finally ceased. She only knew that the hand she used to brace herself was completely submerged in blood.

She heard footsteps approaching and, with eyes as crimson as the blood-soaked ground around her, refused to look anywhere else. Her veins bulging, she pushed herself up with her sword, shoving aside the Azure Guard who lay atop her, and staggered to her feet.

But then, the sharp whistle of another arrow cut through the air from behind. Before Wen Yu could even glimpse the face of one of the Hawk Hounds advancing toward her, the force of the arrow piercing his heart sent him crashing to the ground.

The Hawk Hounds, who had already sheathed their crossbows, realized reinforcements had arrived. Instantly, they split into two groups: one quickly raised their crossbows again, turning to aim and fire, while the other rushed forward to capture Wen Yu.

But it was already too late.

In the distance, the thunderous sound of galloping horses grew closer. Arrows flew from their bows like streaks of light, instantly piercing the throats of several Hawk Hounds.

The Hawk Hound who had reached Wen Yu was struck in the calf by an arrow, losing his balance and collapsing. Without hesitation, Wen Yu swung her sword, slitting his throat. Blood splattered across her face, but she didn’t even blink.

She was already drenched in the blood of the Azure Guard—she feared no more staining from the blood of the Pei family’s lackeys.

On the other side, Pei Shiwu and his men, seeing the situation turning against them, abandoned their siege on Zhao Bai and rushed toward Wen Yu.

But the severely wounded Zhao Bai let out a furious roar and, gripping her sword, single-handedly held them back.

Tong Que, clutching the arrow wound in her shoulder, crawled out of the grass. She picked up a crossbow dropped by a fallen Hawk Hound, loaded it, and braced the stock against her knee, firing wildly at the Hawk Hounds still charging toward Wen Yu.This brief respite finally allowed the warhorse to reach Wen Yu. The rider showed no intention of stopping, instead leaning down as they passed her side, sweeping an arm to pull her onto the saddle before continuing forward without pause.

The few riders following behind stayed to hold off the pursuing Pei Army Hawk Hounds.

Further back, more cavalry shouted as they charged forth, the massive Pei banner flapping fiercely in the biting cold wind.

The Hawk Hounds' morale surged instantly. Seeing the situation turning unfavorable and Wen Yu already rescued by Jiang Yu, Zhao Bai ceased his desperate struggle against Pei Shiwu and the others. With a powerful slash to clear a path, he rolled to the roadside, grabbed the injured Tong Que, and vanished into the withered grass and shrubs lining the path.

Pei Shiwu glanced at the several gashes on his shoulder, arm, and waist, his expression dark. But now wasn't the time to pursue a mere guard like Zhao Bai. He looked toward the direction where Jiang Yu had galloped away and commanded in a low voice, "After them!""

The northern wind howled. Both Wen Yu and Jiang Yu, who had just fought his way through battle to reach her, were covered in bloodstains. The scent of blood was so thick it was impossible to distinguish whether it was splattered or from their own wounds.

Jiang Yu controlled the warhorse with one arm, maintaining his balance while keeping as much distance from her as possible amid the gallop. His voice, torn by the north wind, came out muffled: "Are you injured?"

Wen Yu shook her head, her dark hair whipping wildly backward in the wind. She closed her eyes heavily against the cold, devoid of any desire to speak.

Jiang Yu knew all this was caused by a traitor among his own men. Even though the mere hundred troops he had brought were already decimated when they encountered the Pei Army who had caught wind like hyenas, he still felt ashamed. Any words of comfort seemed unjustifiable coming from him.

He took two breaths of the icy, throat-stinging air in the cold wind, finally swallowing hard as he prepared to speak. But then came the shrill whistle of arrows cutting through the air behind them.

He abruptly pressed down, taking Wen Yu with him to dodge the arrow. When he turned and saw the Pei cavalry closing in from shortcuts through the wilderness, his expression turned grim.

"Can you ride?"

Wen Yu was nearly flattened against the horse's back. Hearing his near-shout carried to her eardrums by the gale, she could only shout back against the wind that stung her eyes almost shut: "Somewhat, but not well."

The man behind her then barked: "You take the reins!"

Wen Yu realized something, turning her head to shout "What about you?" when Jiang Yu pressed her neck down again. Several cold arrows whistled past, barely missing their scalps.

The warhorse beneath them had been galloping too long with two riders. The pursuing Pei cavalry steadily closed the distance, taking aim with their bows.

Jiang Yu, maintaining that posture, grabbed the bow hanging from the saddle. As he shoved the reins into Wen Yu's hands, he suddenly hugged her tightly through her elbow holding the reins.

It was so abrupt Wen Yu couldn't tell if it was intentional. But the man's iron-solid chest had indeed slammed heavily against her back, his breathing becoming rapid and strained in that moment, even pained.

Before she could react, he released her and leaped from the horse. Wen Yu looked back in stunned silence, watching Jiang Yu roll to dissipate the momentum, then draw his bow and release several arrows in succession, killing the Pei cavalry riders at the forefront of the pursuit.He turned his head to look at Wen Yu, his handsome face stained with blood, crimson fury swirling in his eyes. His roar tore through the long wind, echoing across the wilderness: "This general Jiang Yu pledges loyalty to my liege! My liege Han Yang, ordained by heaven, may her reign be long and prosperous!"

After speaking, he did not look at Wen Yu again. He drew his bow and fired several more arrows until his quiver was empty, then picked up a long blade from the ground. Instead of retreating, he charged forward toward the Pei Army cavalry, raising his blade to sever horses' legs before thrusting his spear to take the lives of several riders. He stood with the imposing momentum of one man holding the pass against ten thousand.

Wen Yu was not skilled in horsemanship. Seeing that they could not bypass Jiang Yu on the official road, the pursuing cavalry had already spurred their horses into the wild fields to flank her. She could no longer afford to look back.

As she gripped the reins and shouted "Hyah!", something hastily rolled from her eyes—already sore and stinging from the cold wind—and was swept away by the oncoming gale, leaving no trace behind except the cracked, painful wetness on her cheeks.

She did not look back again. When she fiercely dug her heels into the horse's flank and raised her whip once more, she let out a clearer, deeper cry of "Hyah!".

The roaring wind filled her ears. Her eyes flushed red, and in that fleeting moment, she recalled the same season last year when her guards were escorting her to Southern Chen and they were ambushed. In the end, only she remained fleeing alone, just like now—with desolate cold mountains and stark, solemn jade forests.

She also remembered her elder brother's words when seeing her off from Luodu: "A Yu, don't be afraid when you go to Southern Chen. Your brother will soon bring you home."

Chancellor Zhou's farewell in Yongzhou: "Princess, please proceed south with peace of mind. This subject will surely guard Yongzhou for you, becoming a bone-deep thorn in the Pei clan's side."

Li Yao's words when accepting her as his student: "Even as Imperial Tutor, this old man is qualified! You wish for me to strategize for you—for what purpose?"

...

And finally Jiang Yu's declaration: "This general Jiang Yu pledges loyalty to my liege! My liege Han Yang, ordained by heaven, may her reign be long and prosperous!"

Wen Yu desperately urged her horse to escape, but under the relentless pursuit of the skilled Pei Army cavalry, she was gradually overtaken. They periodically fired stray arrows to intimidate her, shouting loudly to shoot the horse and capture her alive.

Arrows whizzed past her clothes and hair. When her warhorse was finally struck and fell with a mournful cry, Wen Yu rolled aside to avoid being crushed by the falling steed. Struggling up from the muddy ground with her sword in hand, she faced the encircling Pei Army cavalry. Her eyes held no fear, only the bleak bitterness of unfinished great endeavors.

She carried the vengeance of mountains of corpses and oceans of blood, and bore the promise to restore the shattered realm.

Vengeance not fulfilled, promises not kept.

She would not choose death!

The cavalrymen, seeing they had sealed all possible escape routes, seemed intent on breaking her spirit. They were in no hurry to capture her, instead galloping and shouting while tightening the encirclement, hoping to see the renowned top beauty of Liang show fragile, panic-stricken expressions under such intimidation.

But before they could witness the beauty's fear, sudden horn blasts echoed through the mountain wilds on all sides, causing accumulated snow on roadside trees to tremble and fall.

The Pei cavalry froze in confusion. Lifting their heads, they saw cavalry bearing Wei banners flooding across the wilderness like tidal waves.

After all, this was Northern Wei territory. This Pei cavalry unit had merely been roaming nearby for plunder and had rushed here upon hearing news—how could they compare to the numbers of locally stationed Wei troops?

Panic spread among the cavalrymen, and soon the wild fields filled with the frantic whinnies of warhorses.They quickly chose a direction to retreat. As the cavalry encircling the rear galloped past Wen Yu, they reached out to pull her onto their horses. But Wen Yu’s gaze was sharp and resolute—she raised her sword and slashed with formidable strength, her movements far from mere showmanship. The cavalrymen were so startled that they withdrew their hands, not daring to risk having their arms severed in their attempt to seize her.

For a moment, the situation reached a stalemate. Just as the Northern Wei cavalry drew closer, a few riders charged toward Wen Yu against the fleeing direction of the Pei Army cavalry.

It was Pei Shiwu and several Hawk Hounds!

When Wen Yu spotted the blood-soaked, cloth-wrapped round object tied to the side of Pei Shiwu’s saddle, her face instantly turned deathly pale.

Pei Shiwu and the Hawk Hounds had been delayed in catching up—she knew they must have been held back. Was the head wrapped in black cloth Jiang Yu’s or Zhao Bai’s?

Wen Yu breathed heavily, yet the frigid air she inhaled felt like steel needles piercing her lungs. The veins on her sword-gripping hands bulged as she stared fixedly at Pei Shiwu, her eyes filled with palpable hatred and large, hot tears that fell like heavy drops.

Pei Shiwu recognized Wen Yu’s desperate resolve, but he paid it no mind. As she swung her sword, he dodged at an impossible angle and precisely seized her by the shoulder, pulling her toward his horse.

In an instant, Wen Yu felt herself lifted into the air, a sharp pain shooting through her shoulder as if the joint had been dislocated. A pained groan escaped her throat, but before she could be hauled onto the horse, Pei Shiwu’s grip on her shoulder suddenly loosened.

As she fell back to the ground, Wen Yu ignored the pain and desperately grabbed the black cloth bundle hanging from Pei Shiwu’s saddle. She was dragged several steps before finally wrenching the bundle free and tumbling to the ground.

After evading the deadly arrow, Pei Shiwu saw that Wen Yu had snatched the severed head from his saddle. Furious, he tried to turn back and capture her, but the arrows seemed to have a life of their own—one after another, they shot relentlessly toward his vital spots.

As Pei Shiwu lifted his head to locate the archer, he was caught off guard and struck by an arrow. The sheer force of the impact sent him tumbling from his horse. The accompanying Hawk Hounds cried out, "Commandant Shiwu!" as they hauled him back onto a horse. Not daring to linger, they fled in panic alongside the Pei Army cavalry.

The Northern Wei forces dispatched a portion of their cavalry to pursue the Pei Army, while the remaining troops closed in on Wen Yu. But she paid them no heed. Enduring the pain from her fall, she knelt in the muddied, snow-covered wilderness, her trembling hands working to undo the black cloth bundle, terrified that she would see Zhao Bai’s features.

When she discerned the blood-smeared outline of the young general, she let out a choked cry and immediately rewrapped the head in the black cloth. The blood on her hands mingled with the muddy snow on the ground.

She closed her eyes in anguish, and as another hot tear fell, she whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Who are you?" a Northern Wei general barked from in front of her.

Wen Yu lifted her gaze. Her face was streaked with blood and mud, and she wore the uniform of a common soldier. Had her long hair not come loose and spilled down, it would have been difficult to tell whether she was male or female.

She opened her mouth as if to answer, but her voice came out hoarse and broken. Finally, she lowered her red-rimmed, clear eyes and said, "This humble one... is someone Commander Jiang kept by his side."

So many had already sacrificed their lives. After the overwhelming grief, Wen Yu grew eerily calm.These Wei troops had come upon hearing the news, undoubtedly having received word of her presence at the Northern Border.

But she had already ordered Zhao Bai to send a message back to the Southern Border via messenger hawk. Li Xun and the others would firmly maintain that she had never left Pingzhou. Since this Wei general didn't recognize her, there was still room for maneuver.

The only complication was that these Wei soldiers had witnessed the Pei Army going to great lengths to capture her alive. To deceive them, she needed to fabricate a convincing identity.

When she mentioned Commander Jiang, the Wei general's gaze immediately fell upon the head she had covered again with black cloth.

Only important figures would have their heads severed and taken as trophies during battles between opposing armies.

Understanding his meaning, a subordinate quickly retrieved it.

The Wei general lifted the blood-soaked black cloth for a glance, then furrowed his brows tightly and turned away, waving for the soldier to cover it and take it away.

He looked Wen Yu up and down, scrutinizing her as he said, "Setting aside why Jiang Yu would bring a woman on campaign, if he was beheaded by the Pei Army, why would they spare your life?"

Wen Yu's eyes grew even more sorrowful. She placed a hand over her abdomen and said, "This humble woman encountered the commander on the road. Fortunately, he took pity on me and kept me by his side. I now carry his child... The commander... it was only because he was protecting me and this unborn child that he met such a tragic fate!"

Her words were ambiguous, leading the Wei general to believe Jiang Yu had died at the hands of the Pei Army while protecting her and their child, which was why they could only take his head as a trophy.

As for her, a woman carrying Jiang Yu's offspring—potentially his only bloodline—naturally she would be captured alive to use as leverage in negotiations with Southern Chen.

The Wei general studied her for another moment, still skeptical. "If you're with child, why did you dare wrestle for a head on horseback earlier?"

Wen Yu's eyes instantly reddened. "With the commander gone, this humble woman no longer wishes to live."

This left the Wei general speechless. He reasoned that if this woman were truly the noble Princess Han Yang, why would she risk her life for a mere commander's head?

They had seen from a distance how she refused to let go even while being dragged through the wilderness. The decapitated person must have been extremely important to her.

The woman was drenched in blood, making it impossible to tell if she had suffered any miscarriage after the fall.

Finally, the Wei general said, "Since you're with child, you should think of the baby. Although our Northern Wei and Southern Chen are sworn enemies, women and children are innocent. After returning to camp, I'll have a physician examine you and send word of your situation to the Chen camp. But you must answer me truthfully: was Princess Han Yang in your party?"

Wen Yu shook her head mournfully.

The Wei general deliberately intimidated her: "Do not lie!"

Wen Yu shrank back as if frightened, her damp black lashes lowering sorrowfully. "This humble woman heard the commander mention Princess Han Yang to his subordinates, but he spoke of spreading some rumor to make the Pei and Wei armies clash, ensuring the Yang family could safely enter the Southern Border..."

Hearing this, the Wei general finally had no more doubts. Stamping his foot in anger, he cried out, "We've been duped! Duped!"He strode toward the rear of the army and addressed the young general sitting atop his horse, lowering his gaze to wipe the black iron great bow: "Commander! We've been tricked by that Jiang from Chen Camp! Princess Han Yang isn't here—that woman is his concubine! She's carrying his child in her belly! Those Pei Army troops have no intention of capturing her alive!"

The soldier who had been dismissed earlier by the Wei general now stood before the horse, holding Jiang Yu's bloody head in his hands.

Xiao Li put away the black iron great bow and let out an indifferent "Hmm" from his throat, calmly stating, "I heard."