The Road to Glory

Chapter 164: "I Am Also Unwilling..."

Gongsun Sanniang's expression immediately changed as she asked, "What happened?"

The guard captain hesitated slightly, seeming to find it inconvenient to speak, when another armored soldier rushed into the courtyard from outside, his armor stained with blood, urgently reporting: "Report—the refugees have breached the defense line and are heading toward the mountain gate!"

The guard captain's face turned grim. He hastily cupped his hands toward Gongsun Sanniang with a "Troubling you, warrior," then gripped the sword at his waist and hurried away.

Gongsun Sanniang slung her two broad and narrow blades over her back and made a "please" gesture to Wen Yu: "Miss, come with me."

Wen Yu seemed deep in thought. When she looked up, she gently shook her head at her: "This mountain convent is so small. If the newcomers are enemies, hiding in the cellar won't protect us for long."

On the day she left the Military Camp, Pei Song's Hawk Hounds had been mixed among the refugees attempting to kidnap her. This time, with attackers finding their way to this mountain convent, Wen Yu couldn't be sure it was Zhao Bai and the others.

Gongsun Sanniang also thought that if the attackers were here for Wen Yu, they would surely turn the entire mountain convent upside down, and the cellar would likely be discovered quickly. After a moment's consideration, she said, "Then please come with me to hide in the back mountains."

She led Wen Yu toward the mountain convent's back gate. The two guards stationed outside the courtyard, learning of their plan to leave, reported to the guard captain before accompanying them.

But shortly after the group exited the back mountain gate, before they could enter the woods, Gongsun Sanniang—with her exceptional eyesight—seemed to notice something. Her fingertips suddenly flicked a pebble, and a muffled groan came from a snow-covered shrub in the distance.

The two guards rushed over and quickly dragged out a person dressed as a refugee, twisting his arms behind his back.

One guard shouted at him, "Who are you people?"

The man twisted his face away, refusing to answer.

The guard slapped him across the face, and only then did he spit on the ground, cursing under his breath.

Neither Gongsun Sanniang nor the two guards could make out his curse, but Wen Yu, standing further back in her cape, slightly furrowed her brows. As the guards prepared to continue interrogating him, she coolly spoke up: "Are you from Southern Chen?"

Having been exiled beyond the pass for many years, Southern Chen's accent had gradually diverged from those within the pass due to local influences.

The man's curse had clearly been in Southern Chen's dialect.

The man seemed surprised that someone had so quickly uncovered his identity. He scrutinized Wen Yu, but the large hood of her cape obscured most of her face; he could only tell the speaker was a woman, but not her specific appearance.

Upon hearing Wen Yu's words, Gongsun Sanniang—unaware of Wen Yu's background—showed little reaction, but the two guards suddenly grew tense.

Then Wen Yu spoke again: "Under Dou Jianliang's command?"

The man's strange expression toward Wen Yu deepened, while the two guards' faces changed dramatically—shifting from tension to what could only be described as terror.

Wen Yu glanced at the man from a distance, knowing she had guessed correctly.

That group of refugees, knowing there were Wei troops stationed here, still chose to attack—clearly, they were no ordinary civilians.

And even among the elite soldiers personally selected by Jiang Yu, there had been traitors, with the mastermind still at large. If Zhao Bai and the others were to rescue her, they would certainly not bring along anyone from Southern Chen.As a native of Southern Chen, this man had mingled among the refugees. The only explanation Wen Yu could think of was that he belonged to Chen Jun's troops, who had defected to Pei Song under Dou Jianliang's leadership.

After all, the joint offensive against Pei Song by Great Liang and Chen State was concentrated on the Southern Border, making it impossible for Chen soldiers to appear on the Northern Border at present.

Meeting the soldier's startled gaze, she calmly pressed on: "Why have you come to the Northern Border? What is your purpose in attacking this mountain convent?"

During her time in Xiao Li's army, she had learned through intelligence gathered by the two maidservants that Pei Army had completely withdrawn from the Northern Border, seemingly to focus all efforts on attacking the Southern Border.

Every deployment from the righteous army base was aimed at fighting the barbarians.

Yet now, a Pei Song contingent was disguising itself as refugees and roaming Northern Wei territory—truly suspicious.

The two guards had clearly begun treating Wen Yu as their leader. They immediately drew their blades and pressed them against the Chen soldier, shouting: "Answer!"

The soldier proved stubborn, quickly fabricating an excuse: "I don't understand what you're saying. I just live at the mountain's base and came up to gather firewood..."

One guard kicked him directly: "Not even a trace of Northern accent, and you dare claim to live below the mountain?"

The soldier insisted: "I'm a refugee..."

Gongsun Sanniang flexed her wrists impatiently: "Let me handle this."

Within moments, the Chen soldier lay half-dead in the snow. One guard stood dejectedly with Gongsun Sanniang, protecting Wen Yu as they waited.

The other guard, formerly a Scout, moved like a mountain cat through patches where snow had partially melted in the grass, leaving minimal footprints as he returned from scouting the woods.

Ducking behind the large rock where they hid, he gasped: "There are indeed many ambushers on the back mountain, likely waiting for this scout's report."

After Gongsun Sanniang's interrogation, the Chen Army scout had confessed everything.

They were indeed troops under Dou Jianliang's command, disguised as refugees lingering in the Northern Border. They were acting on superiors' orders, though their specific mission remained unknown.

Their attack on the mountain convent occurred because a scout stationed outside had discovered them passing through the mountains.

Fearing exposure, their commander sent pursuers after the scout, thus revealing the small Wei Army garrison at the convent. Considering their limited numbers, the commander decided to eliminate them all to avoid complications.

The remaining guard forced composure: "The forest terrain is complex. Our scouts know this area well—they'll surely reach camp and return with reinforcements."

But Wen Yu declared with certainty: "Pei Camp is secretly plotting something. Who knows how many troops they've hidden this way in the Northern Border? To maintain secrecy, they'll show no mercy."

The two guards turned ashen but wore expressions of grim resolve.

Gongsun Sanniang frowned openly and told Wen Yu: "This differs from what I agreed to when accepting this escort mission. I'll protect you as much as I can, but if their main force overwhelms us and I must prioritize my own survival, don't blame me for abandoning you."

Wen Yu didn't respond, instead turning to the half-dead Chen soldier: "Is Dou Jianliang with this army?"

The soldier initially refused to answer, but when Gongsun Sanniang stepped on his chest, blood-flecked foam bubbled from his lips, and he finally gasped: "Yes..."

Wen Yu told the group: "Back to the mountain convent."Although they did not understand her intentions, with the rear mountain already fully ambushed by Chen Jun's forces, they had no choice but to retreat to the nunnery and hold their ground.

One of the guards carried the half-dead Chen soldier and hurried back to the nunnery, where they encountered the guard captain, who looked utterly flustered: "Why have you returned?"

The two guards dropped the Chen soldier on the ground, panting like bellows, and shook their heads: "The rear mountain... is also full of Chen Jun's ambush!"

After they briefly explained the situation, the guard captain's face turned ashen, but he quickly shouted: "Our men have already rushed to the camp to report. Guard the front and rear mountain gates at all costs and hold out until reinforcements arrive. The lady has hidden in the undergr..."

"Light the beacon fire." Wen Yu's voice was clear and calm, sounding even more composed than the guard captain.

"Impossible!" The guard captain refused without a second thought. Wen Yu had been secretly hidden here. If the beacon fire were lit, not only would Xiao Li's men find out, but Wei Qishan would also notice the anomaly.

If Wei Qishan's men arrived first instead of Xiao Li's, it would be disastrous.

Wen Yu merely looked at him calmly: "From now on, follow my orders. I will do my best to protect your lives."

Dou Jianliang had already led his men to attack the main gate of the mountain nunnery when he suddenly saw a beacon fire rising straight into the sky from within. Gnashing his teeth in fury, he roared: "Quick! Break into the nunnery and extinguish the beacon fire!"

A group of Chen Jun soldiers disguised as refugees forced open the mountain gate. Perhaps because they had already slaughtered a large number of guards at the front, entering the nunnery this time was much easier.

Dou Jianliang sent men to put out the beacon fire and noticed that the remaining guards, though continuously retreating, were all gathering in one particular hall.

He speculated that this Wei camp troop wouldn't be stationed here without reason—could it be that some important official's family member was here worshipping Buddha?

The thought excited him. It was common for aristocratic family members to stay at temples worshipping Buddha for ten days or half a month without returning. If he killed the remaining pests and took such a hostage, not only would their tracks remain hidden, but it might even turn into an unexpected achievement.

He led his men to storm the hall, kicking open the tightly shut door. When he saw the woman kneeling before the Buddha, clad in a snow-white cape with cloud-like black hair, she appeared like a jade figurine. Even before seeing her face, his heart melted with desire.

Striding in eagerly, he exclaimed joyfully: "Beauty..."

The woman worshipping in the hall seemed disturbed. Finally, she lifted her phoenix-like lightly closed eyes and glanced back indifferently, without joy or sorrow.

Dou Jianliang unconsciously swallowed. In that moment, he was truly mesmerized, his knees going weak as if willing to kneel before this celestial beauty.

However, her gaze was piercingly cold, like the perpetual snow on the Tianshan Mountains, and her eyes carried the authority of one long accustomed to power. She didn't resemble a delicate, vulnerable beauty but rather a noble goddess surrounded by an aura of sacred light that forbade violation.

For some reason, her features... seemed vaguely familiar?

"Dou clan traitor, how dare you not kneel before your queen?" she spoke with clear authority, her brows cold and imposing, radiating an indescribable, overwhelming presence.

Dou Jianliang felt as if doused with cold water. Under her penetrating gaze, he sobered up completely.

He stammered involuntarily: "Your... Your Majesty?"When he had taken over from Jiang Yu and was responsible for leading troops to the Southern Border of Liang to form an allied force against Pei Song, he had only caught a distant glimpse of Wen Yu observing the ceremony from the command platform, so he was not familiar with her appearance.

But that bone-chilling sense of oppression was unmistakable.

Dou Jianliang’s gaze sharpened instantly.

He was fond of beauties, but a beauty who held royal power—few in this world would dare to covet such a woman without a death wish.

Wen Yu rose, supporting herself on Gongsun Sanniang’s arm. The cloud brocade shawl draped over her forearm cascaded down, its exquisite embroidery shimmering faintly in the candlelight on either side.

She took a seat in the nearby official’s chair, picked up a freshly brewed cup of light tea, and cast a disdainful glance with her long, narrow eyes. "You should address me as Grand Princess now."

By this time, Dou Jianliang had recovered from his initial shock. Calculating that he had brought a considerable number of troops and the entire mountain nunnery was under his control, he no longer feared Wen Yu and laughed, "So the rumors that Your Majesty was trapped in the Northern Border are true."

He still used the honorific for a queen to address Wen Yu, clearly disregarding her attempt to assert authority.

Wen Yu scoffed coldly as she stirred her tea. "Both you and I have fallen into Wei Qishan’s schemes. In terms of circumstances, General Dou is no better off than I am."

Dou Jianliang detected a hidden meaning in her words and studied her carefully. "What does Your Majesty mean by that?"

After taking a sip of tea, Wen Yu set down the cup without even glancing at the man opposite her. "What is Pei Song plotting?"

Dou Jianliang nearly lost his composure, but his deep cunning allowed him to feign ignorance. "I don’t understand what Your Majesty is saying."

A mocking smile curled at the corners of Wen Yu’s lips. "No matter. Wei Qishan used me as bait to lure out you, Pei Song’s accomplice, didn’t he? Once you fall into Wei Qishan’s hands, he can settle both old and new scores with the Ma family of Liang."

Dou Jianliang’s expression shifted several times, and he could no longer fully restrain himself. He began to sense the strangeness of the mountain nunnery: Wen Yu was in the hands of the Wei army, yet Wei Qishan had not announced it publicly. Instead, he had gone along with the Liang Camp’s claim that they had only captured one of Jiang Yu’s concubines.

After a moment’s thought, he grasped the stakes involved.

The Liang and Chen armies in the Southern Border were pressing hard against Pei Song. If it were revealed that Wen Yu was in his hands now, it would be detrimental to the southern campaign.

If Pei Song were to win in the Southern Border and turn to attack the Northern Border, Wei Qishan’s plan would backfire.

He just didn’t understand what Wen Yu meant by "bait."

Steadying himself, Dou Jianliang smiled. "Your Majesty need not try to deceive me. Bringing you back is indeed a great achievement."

Wen Yu gave him a cold glance, her eyes filled with contempt for his foolishness, as if she could not be bothered to waste any more words.

Though Dou Jianliang felt uneasy, he feared this might be Wen Yu’s trick and refused to show weakness. He ordered his subordinates, "Search every corner of this nunnery, inside and out. Do not let a single living soul escape."

Then, he gestured to Wen Yu and said, "Your Majesty, after you."

Wen Yu calmly instructed Gongsun Sanniang, "There’s no need to pack any belongings. Let’s go as we are."

As she passed by Dou Jianliang, she did not even glance at him, her expression tinged with a faint, mocking amusement, as if she were merely an observer.

Her detached demeanor only intensified the unease in Dou Jianliang’s heart.

Every inconsistency about the mountain nunnery seemed to magnify endlessly in his mind.Indeed, even if Wei Qishan had confined her temporarily to avoid affecting the Southern Border's military situation, shouldn't he have directly placed her under house arrest within the army as a precaution?

Why choose such a remote mountain convent, with only about a hundred soldiers left to guard it?

Dou Jianliang's heart sank with each heavy beat, sweat slowly beading on his temples. Just as Wen Yu was about to step out of the convent hall, he finally spoke: "Our troops traveled light, and we have no suitable clothing for Your Highness among our ranks. To avoid inconveniencing you, it would be best if you brought a few changes of clothes."

Wen Yu merely gave a faint, dismissive smile. "No need. I’ll have to turn back before even descending the mountain—why trouble with luggage?"

Whether Dou Jianliang believed her or not, his face gradually darkened, unable to conceal his unease.

The beacon fire had already been lit. Though he had ordered men to hunt down the reporting Scouts, if this was a trap, Wei’s forces were surely lying in ambush nearby.

Seeing the beacon fire, they would soon close in.

He summoned one of his personal guards and ordered, "Dispatch all Scouts below. Report any anomalies immediately."

After the guard rushed off to carry out the order, Dou Jianliang continued to stare at Wen Yu with a mix of dread and suspicion.

Wen Yu’s expression remained scornful. "What? Is General Dou wondering whether, if Wei Qishan’s troops really surround us, you could use me as a hostage to escape?"

She laughed, a sound tinged with irony and self-mockery. "If I were to die at the hands of Pei’s forces, that would be exactly what Wei Qishan desires. By then, your list of crimes—as proclaimed by the Wei clan—would grow even longer."

Dou Jianliang, his composure fraying, struggled to maintain calm. "I truly don’t understand Your Highness’s meaning. If Wei Qishan allows you to come to harm, wouldn’t he fear impacting the Southern Border’s war efforts?"

Wen Yu turned, her profile backlit like a sorrowful stone deity. "Whether I live or die now depends entirely on the Wei clan’s word. Once the Southern Border conflict is resolved, and the world no longer needs a regent princess of the Liang and Chen camps, my death will require an explanation, won’t it?"

Her words sounded as if she had already foreseen her inevitable demise.

Dou Jianliang grew even more panicked, his mind racing to verify the truth of her statements. When he realized they likely weren’t lies, his resolve crumbled further.

Wei Qishan couldn’t easily kill Wen Yu while she was in his custody—after all, most of the realm still consisted of Liang loyalists, and her Changlian Wang lineage enjoyed deep popular support.

If Wei Qishan killed Wen Yu to restore the Jin, he would inevitably face public condemnation. So, if Wen Yu must die, it absolutely couldn’t be by the Wei clan’s hand.

Perhaps feeling the bleakness of it all, Wen Yu asked Dou Jianliang with faint scorn, "When you, a general of my Chen Kingdom, betrayed us to join Pei Song despite your clan’s impending ruin, did you ever imagine this day? What did Pei Song promise you? Was it worth abandoning even your wife, children, and parents?"

She paused before adding, "Your wife was pregnant when she was imprisoned."

Upon hearing this, and recalling how he had been forced into Pei’s camp, Dou Jianliang was overwhelmed with anguish and rage. With a roar, he grabbed the incense burner from the table and hurled it to the ground. "I’ve failed Shi Niang!"Wen Yu lifted her gaze slightly: "You were recommended by Chancellor Jiang. When I was overseeing this matter in Chen, I sensed many irregularities. Chancellor Jiang's faction tried to absolve themselves by claiming your entire clan deserved execution, but I refused to believe the Jiang Family was innocent. I protected your kin, who remain imprisoned. Now tell me—did your massacre of Wei troops at Majialiang have any connection to the Jiang Family?"

Dou Jianliang abruptly looked up, a flicker of hope in his eyes that quickly faded. He stole a discreet glance at Wen Yu's expression and forced a bitter smile. "I thank Your Highness for your great mercy. But do you believe that if I speak the truth, Wei Qishan would show me any leniency?"

Wen Yu did not answer immediately. She clasped her hands before her, turning to gaze at the snow outside, her eyes sharpening. "I, too, am unwilling. With vengeance unmet, how can I remain trapped here?"

She looked back at Dou Jianliang. "If you truly weren't the mastermind behind the Majialiang case who defected to Pei Song..."

Her tone held hesitation, as if weighing his trustworthiness, before she resolved: "I have a way to ensure your safe exit from this predicament. But henceforth, you must serve me."

Dou Jianliang appeared overjoyed, promptly bowing to Wen Yu. "This general has always been a subject of Chen. Had I not been forced into Pei's camp, why would I work for Bandit Pei? I came to the Northern Border precisely to avoid clashing with former comrades at the Southern Border. If Your Highness can clear my name, I shall be eternally grateful and henceforth follow your command without question!"