The Road to Glory

Chapter 170: It Was His Insistence. Not Blame...

Xiao Li glanced at Wen Yu resting with closed eyes in his arms, then rose with extreme care to avoid disturbing her.

The visitor was Zhang Huai.

He had arrived somewhat hurriedly, his breathing uneven. Upon seeing Xiao Li, his gaze briefly caught the conspicuous bite mark on the side of Xiao Li’s neck, and his brow seemed to furrow slightly. After performing a respectful bow in accordance with etiquette, he asked, “May I ask if the Prefect intends to follow Princess Han Yang back to the Liang Camp?”

Xiao Li’s thoughts seemed to linger elsewhere, and upon hearing this, as if a hidden secret had been exposed, he lifted his dark eyes. “Why do you say that?”

Zhang Huai replied, “If the Prefect has no such intention, that is good...”

Xiao Li instinctively glanced back at Wen Yu, who still lay resting on the soft couch. Seeing that she appeared to have fallen into a deeper sleep, he frowned slightly, signaling Zhang Huai to stop speaking for fear of waking her. In a lowered voice, he said, “Let’s talk in the rear cloister.”

After he closed the door and the two walked away, Wen Yu, who had been leaning against a small table in a light slumber, opened her eyes.

Her clear, moon-like eyes were dark and serene, revealing no trace of emotion.

She had intended to ask Xiao Li if he would accompany her, but now it seemed unnecessary.

Forcing him to abandon all he had painstakingly built in the Northern Border would indeed be unfair to him.

Moreover, whether it was Wei Qishan, who had recognized his talent, or the brothers who had fought alongside him, he owed them an explanation.

It didn’t matter.

What belonged to her, she would one day return to claim.

Once they had left the courtyard gate, Zhang Huai fell half a step behind Xiao Li and spoke as they walked:

“The current situation is chaotic. The two factions with the most popular support are the Former Liang and the Former Jin that Wei Qishan seeks to restore. The Former Liang has already harmed you with a Poison Arrow—they have shown you no loyalty. Although Wei Qishan is wary of you now, he still relies on you greatly. If you were to leave Wei and return to the Former Liang, not only would the brothers under your command struggle to gain the same level of trust in the Liang Camp as they do in Northern Wei, but you yourself would likely face imprisonment.”

He sighed. “If the Prefect wishes to establish your own faction, you could cite ideological differences with Wei Qishan as justification. Given the favors you have done for Northern Wei, Wei Qishan would, at least publicly, not hold it against you—otherwise, it would reflect poorly on Northern Wei.”

“But if you return to the Liang Camp, the false accusations that the Second Young Master of Wei fabricated against you during the victory banquet of the Youzhou campaign would be validated in the eyes of Northern Wei.”

Zhang Huai’s expression was complicated as he continued, “Back during the Battle of Majia Liang, when Pei Song spread rumors to undermine the Liang Camp, Northern Wei actively fueled the flames. If you cease to serve Northern Wei and return to the Liang Camp, Wei Qishan... will surely no longer honor past affections.”

Initially, the Liang and Wei camps could form an alliance because Wei Qishan was a Liang official and both sides shared the goal of opposing Pei Song.

But with the pretext of the Battle of Majia Liang and Wei Qishan’s restoration as a Jin official, conflict between the Liang and Wei camps is inevitable. Thus, they cannot allow Xiao Li to become a Liang general again.

It remains uncertain whether Northern Wei would then spread rumors that Xiao Li was a spy sent by the Liang Camp, tarnish his reputation with false charges, and use this to attack the Liang Camp.

As Xiao Li’s strategist, Zhang Huai naturally prioritized the interests of Xiao Li and their Tong Prefecture Army above all else.He studied Xiao Li's expression and delivered the final blow: "Moreover, the Liang Camp, which once suspected the Provincial Lord and condemned him to death—how can the Provincial Lord be certain such events won't recur?"

At the end of the moon gate, a plum branch had snapped under the weight of last night's accumulated snow. The broken end was already coated in a thin layer of frost, leaving only the half-blooming crimson blossoms still bravely unfurling their vibrant stamens in the bitter wind.

Xiao Li's deep, cold eyes seemed steeped in the wintry gusts filled with swirling snowflakes. He merely said, "I know my limits."

Zhang Huai bowed with clasped hands and declared, "If the Provincial Lord acts for grand ambitions, even if it leads to certain doom, Huai will follow. But if it is for personal affections, I implore the Provincial Lord to reconsider! Should the Liang Camp gain another point of criticism from the Wei Camp because of you, I fear for the sake of greater strategy, the Liang Camp may no longer value your service!"

Xiao Li's expression remained cold and somber. He did not respond further.

Zhang Huai's words had indeed struck upon one of his concerns.

If he was no longer useful to Wen Yu, would she still want him?

His reluctance to return stemmed partly from not wanting their relationship's beginning and end to be dictated solely by Wen Yu.

If he became her subordinate general, he would be as constrained as before—only able to request an audience under the pretext of military affairs, and often having to wait for her summons.

Given Wen Yu's ruthlessness and detachment, it was entirely possible she might sever their ties once she deemed it timely.

After all, hadn't she married King Chen and even agreed to bear a child with Jiang Yu?

Taking a step back, even if he desperately clung to their relationship, once the realm was stabilized, she and King Chen would remain husband and wife.

What would that make him?

What he had always wanted was exclusive possession.

No one else would be allowed to so much as touch the hem of her garment.

Yet, the events in the secret chamber that afternoon had suddenly cast doubt on certain matters.

If Wen Yu bore no wounds, where did the blood on her sash come from?

Hadn't she and King Chen been married for some time?

He didn't care about what the blood symbolized, but he did care about what it revealed regarding Wen Yu's relationship with King Chen and her circumstances in the Chen Kingdom.

When he believed she was trapped in dire straits, relying on favors from aristocratic scions to secure power in Chen, he had resolved not to let her return.

If she had submitted to others to contend with Pei Song for authority, then he could offer the same now.

Why not keep her confined? He would avenge her deep-seated grudges on her behalf.

As for that accursed restoration of Liang, she had already done enough. Let the former Liang ministers find someone else to restore the kingdom.

If she insisted on it herself, then he would accomplish it for her.

But during that sleepless night after Zhao Bai's interrogation, reflecting on every word Zhao Bai had uttered, on Jiang Yu's death, on Wen Yu's sorrowful demeanor whenever he mentioned Jiang Yu, and on the pregnancy pulse induced by medication—

Despite the raging fury in his heart, he clearly realized that given Wen Yu's intelligence and resolve, her agreement to these arrangements was unlikely mere submission.

She most probably had her own schemes.

Moreover, Zhao Bai was right about one thing: the number of outstanding talents who admired her was indeed as countless as fish in the river.

He had long been aware that Jiang Yu's gaze toward her was less than honorable. The scrutinizing, conquering look in his eyes still evoked in Xiao Li a burning possessiveness and hostility, as if his property were being coveted.

There was a time when he firmly believed Jiang Yu would be defeated by his own hand—

Just as Jiang Yu had lost to him in that sandbox deduction in Pingzhou.He would make Wen Yu understand who was truly the strongest.

But Jiang Yu was dead.

And he had died for her.

He didn’t know whether during those days and nights in Southern Chen, Jiang Yu had guarded Wen Yu and drawn close to her under the guise of a subordinate, just as he himself once had.

Nor did he know what feelings Wen Yu held for Jiang Yu.

Perhaps they were no different from those she held for him.

She appeared cold-hearted and unfeeling, unwilling to make any decision detrimental to the greater situation. Yet, as long as boundaries were not crossed too far, she was always soft-hearted.

This was a weakness Wen Yu herself was unaware of.

Those who hovered around her, carefully navigating such boundaries—one Jiang Yu had died, but there might still be a Li Yu, a Zhou Yu.

He did not want to become one of those waiting for her pity, for her to bestow affection.

These thoughts tormented him day and night. Only when pursuing the barbarian armies did his pent-up ferocity seem to find an outlet through slaughter, granting him a brief respite in his mind.

During that time, he constantly avoided seeing Wen Yu, fearing he might push her too far, afraid she would grow utterly disgusted with him, yet unwilling to let her go.

She always wanted to settle accounts with him and part ways.

—Once they were truly severed, he would have nothing left.

Not even the pretense of hatred to seek anything from her again.

Last night’s loss of control, taking things that far with Wen Yu, was also fueled by hidden jealousy and resentment toward her.

He knew Wen Yu would leave, and he knew he could never extract genuine sincerity from her.

He feared that the methods she used to deal with him had once been used on others as well.

In that moment, jealousy burned through his reason, and his suppressed possessiveness surged forth, making him want to crush her, to devour her completely.

But what if… he was the only one who had gone this far with Wen Yu?

Perhaps she wasn’t as indulgent with others as she was with him.

This realization, which struck him like a heavy hammer during the hot springs that afternoon, shattered the door of reason in his mind.

She was completely his.

The mere thought of it was enough to make him willingly sink into quicksand and suffocate.

Several times, he had wanted to ask Wen Yu.

But in the end, he never voiced the question.

He was uncertain of Wen Yu’s feelings toward him and didn’t want to hear any reply from her that would feel like a thousand cuts.

It was enough that he knew everything himself.

Yet, because of this “special” status, he wavered.

After all, he had already decided to break away from the Wei camp. He wanted his own power, to avenge his mother, and to have Wen Yu.

Now, Wen Yu was already his.

He could guard her while seeking revenge against Pei Song.

As for her nominal husband, King Chen, he could find a way to eliminate him later.

The temptation of this vision was too great—as long as Wen Yu no longer used her status as his superior to suppress him and sever ties at will.

Return… return to her side.

Guard her, and keep all stray cats and dogs away—why couldn’t he?

Xiao Li’s lips pressed into a tight line as he watched Zhang Huai bow to him, refusing to rise, as if he had made a desperate decision: “From now on…”

“My Lord!” Someone hurried through the moon gate, flustered, and reported, “Th-that young lady has left!”

Xiao Li’s expression darkened instantly.

The armored soldier was frightened by his icy, murderous aura and stammered, “You… you gave the order yesterday permitting her to leave. We… we didn’t dare stop her.”

Zhang Huai, however, seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and said to Xiao Li, “The princess is clearer-headed than you, My Lord. Indecisiveness in crucial moments will only bring disaster.”Xiao Li's stern face was as cold as frost and snow. Without uttering a word, he turned and strode back.

The meditation room was already empty.

Pushing open the door, Xiao Li looked at the half-torn bed curtain hanging outside the bed frame and the soft couch where Wen Yu had been resting before he left. A self-mocking smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He had thought their relationship had changed.

But in her eyes, it hadn't.

Had everything she did with him only been to "repay" the affection he had demanded from her?

No wonder... no wonder she had been so cold and distant after waking up, as if trying to draw a clear line between them.

For the meager sweetness she had bestowed upon him, he had been ready to abandon everything and follow her. Yet she had never intended to change any of her decisions for him.

The bite marks on his neck and shoulder still throbbed with a faint sting. Rage and resentment churned in his chest, stirring up a metallic taste in his throat that he forcefully swallowed back.

His eyes tinged with crimson as he stared at the fluttering bed curtain. The hand braced against the doorframe clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

After everything they had done together, why hadn't she even bothered to ask if he was willing to return to the Liang Camp?

Because from beginning to end, she never imagined there would be anything more after their entanglement?

Back in the military camp, when he had angrily told her to please him, she had acted the same way.

Was her only goal to settle their debts and part ways?

Why, Wen Yu?!

He had foolishly hoped that after returning with her this time, she wouldn't single-handedly decide the beginning and end of their relationship.

Now it seemed everything was a joke!

In the chilling silence of the room, Xiao Li heavily closed his eyes.

Zheng Hu arrived upon hearing the news. Seeing Xiao Li in such a state, he felt a pang of sympathy and said, "Second Brother, if you're truly heartbroken, why not go after Sister-in-law and bring her back..."

"I won't." Xiao Li's voice was icy cold.

Slowly opening his eyes, he wiped away a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth that he hadn't been able to swallow. His dark eyes were fierce and somber. "If she's gone, then she's gone."

He needed to learn his lesson.

Hadn't he realized long ago that he couldn't rely on her soft-heartedness or pity?

If he wanted to possess her, he had to become the most powerful ruler, only then could he make her yield.

Enduring the discomfort in her body, Wen Yu rode urgently with Gongsun Sanniang. They finally met Zhao Bai and the others halfway up the mountain.

Gongsun Sanniang glanced back several times at the ancient temple barely visible through the dense foliage at the mountain peak, feeling perplexed.

She thought to herself, it was one thing for the lady to suddenly decide not to wait for her escort to come up the mountain, but why hadn't that handsome man, who cherished her like his own eyes, come chasing after them after all this time?

Not long ago, the two had seemed perfectly fine.

Unaware of her thoughts, Wen Yu saw that both Zhao Bai and Tong Que were deeply worried about her. Spotting her from afar, they urged their horses forward, calling out "Princess" as they hurried to meet her.

After reassuring them briefly, Wen Yu turned her horse to face Gongsun Sanniang. "We've troubled you greatly these past days, ma'am. This is the reward we promised you."

Zhao Bai urged her horse forward and handed a bulging money pouch to Gongsun Sanniang.

As a fellow martial artist, Gongsun Sanniang could tell at a glance that the young woman in the black and white civil-military sleeve robe was extraordinary. She nodded in acknowledgment, and Zhao Bai returned a slight nod.

Gongsun Sanniang took the money pouch and weighed it in her hand, still using the address she had always used for Wen Yu. "Madam, you are exceedingly generous. But for this task of yours, I hardly did anything. To accept such a large sum from you truly leaves me feeling ashamed."She smiled and tossed the pouch of gold beans back to Zhao Bai: "I won't accept the payment. Let's just consider it making a friend with you, my lady."

Wen Yu said, "It is my honor. If you ever grow weary of the martial world and wish to become a guest in my residence, I shall reserve a place for you."

Gongsun Sanniang laughed, "Thank you for your high regard, my lady. But I am a rough and wild person, accustomed to the freedom of the greenwood. I only await the day when the world is at peace, so I may buy a house, keep a troupe of handsome young actors, and live a carefree life."

Wen Yu did not seem surprised by this and said, "You are a free spirit."

Gongsun Sanniang hinted meaningfully, "Those like yourself, my lady, who scheme for great causes, cannot afford such freedom. But when the world is finally settled, I do hope you will live more freely."

With that, she slapped her horse and rode off, waving behind her back at Wen Yu without turning around: "I'm off!"

Wen Yu watched Gongsun Sanniang's receding figure, then lifted her gaze to the snow-capped mountain peaks visible through the verdant forest canopy. Her white veil covered her face, concealing her expression. When she lowered her eyes again, all emotion had vanished without a trace.

Zhao Bai noticed Wen Yu's extreme exhaustion and assumed it was due to her recent captivity. She already felt some resentment toward Xiao Li, though she didn't show it, saying only, "Princess, the wind is strong outside. Let's get in the carriage."

As Wen Yu took her hand to dismount, the soreness in her body and the jolting from the long ride nearly caused her to stumble upon landing. Fortunately, Zhao Bai caught her in time.

Though Wen Yu wore a scarf and covered her face with a white veil, when Zhao Bai supported her, she caught a glimpse of the red marks and small bite marks covering the back of her hand and between her fingers, and realized what had happened.

For a moment, Zhao Bai's anger nearly surfaced, but she restrained herself due to the many people around.

After helping Wen Yu into the carriage and instructing Tong Que to keep watch over their surroundings, Zhao Bai climbed into the carriage herself, her face cold as she said, "He dared to mistreat you? I'll kill him!"

Wen Yu was utterly exhausted, leaning wearily against the soft pillow of the carriage seat with her eyes closed. At these words, she opened them and looked at Zhao Bai with gentle calm. "I chose him."

Zhao Bai was momentarily stunned. This was the first time she had heard Wen Yu so clearly express her feelings for anyone.

Learning that Wen Yu had not been forced, her anger subsided somewhat, but she still fumed, "You are noble and precious. How could he injure you? And make you ride a horse down the mountain?"

As she handed a warming pan to Wen Yu to warm her hands, she pressed her lips together and asked another question that fueled her anger: "What about him? Is he staying in the Wei camp to serve Wei Qishan?"

Wen Yu did not answer immediately.

Zhao Bai felt her temper flare again, her heart aching for Wen Yu even as her anger rose. "I should have cut him down with my sword that day! That smooth-talker!"

Wen Yu caught something in her words and, recalling the shallow mark on Xiao Li's neck, asked, "You've seen him?"

Zhao Bai answered truthfully, "When I couldn't find you, I went to press him for your whereabouts."

"The scratch on his neck—was that you?"

Hearing Wen Yu's protective tone toward Xiao Li, Zhao Bai grew even angrier, convinced he must have used his handsome face to bewitch her princess. She said stiffly, "I was worried for your safety, Princess. If you blame me for this, I will accept punishment."

With that, she half-knelt on one knee.

Wen Yu seemed to sigh softly and reached out to stroke Zhao Bai's hair.This gesture made the previously bowing Zhao Bai freeze for a moment. When she lifted her head and saw Wen Yu still gazing at her with gentle and composed eyes, for an instant, she even seemed to carry a shadow of the late princess consort. A faint bitterness welled up in Zhao Bai’s eyes. She strained to tighten her expression and hastily lowered her head again.

Although she and Qiye were death warriors, the princess consort had always treated them as her own children.

Wen Yu was not angry, nor did she show any intention of blaming her. She only said, “I know you’ve all been terribly worried these past days. What happened that day was due to unavoidable circumstances. But from now on, don’t be so hostile toward him. He is the one I’ve chosen. If you don’t trust him, A’Zhao, do you not trust me either?”

Zhao Bai gritted her teeth and said, “But now he…”

Wen Yu replied, “It was our mistake that sent him to the Wei Camp. He helped us during the Wayaobao battle, and he’s helping us again now. He has his own subordinates and comrades to face. A’Zhao, we can’t demand any more from him.”

Zhao Bai clenched her fists, still feeling heartache for Wen Yu. “But what about you…”

Wen Yu said calmly, “Restoring order is the priority. As for matters between him and me, we’ll discuss them later.”

With that, before Zhao Bai could say anything more, Wen Yu shifted to political affairs: “Has the message ordering Chen Wei to launch a full-scale counterattack against Pei Song in the Southern Border been delivered to the Liang Camp?”

In the letter she had Gongsun Sanniang deliver yesterday, she had written extensively about all the urgent matters she could think of that needed immediate attention—this was one of them.

She wasn’t afraid that Gongsun Sanniang would peek at the letter. The communications between her and the Azure Guard involved numerous codes and aliases. To those unfamiliar with their cipher, an ordinary-looking sentence would be completely indecipherable.

Encountering Dou Jianliang at the mountain nunnery, though perilous, had given her a glimpse of an opportunity to turn the entire situation around.

Dou Jianliang had received secret orders from Pei Song’s side to infiltrate the Northern Border covertly. Clearly, Pei Song still had some scheme targeting the Wei Camp.

But given Pei Song’s level of trust in Dou Jianliang, he certainly wouldn’t rely solely on the Chen Army under Dou Jianliang’s command to carry out this task.

He must have other troops also lurking in the Northern Border.

That meant the forces Pei Song claimed to be fully deploying in the Southern Border to fight the Liang and Chen Camps were likely a deception. This was the perfect opportunity for them to launch an all-out counterattack.

Seeing that Wen Yu showed not a trace of sorrow, Zhao Bai finally felt completely at ease and said, “A batch of White-feathered Sparrows has already been dispatched to deliver the message.”

The White-feathered Sparrows, once bred by the Changlian Wang residence for message delivery, were even more inconspicuous than carrier pigeons. They were difficult to intercept, and their speed surpassed that of pigeons, easily covering eight hundred li in a single day.

Wen Yu seemed to ponder something for a moment, her dark lashes lowering slightly. “Send another message to the Liang Camp envoys retrieving Jiang Yu’s body. Have them spread rumors on their return journey, claiming Jiang Yu isn’t dead and the body is a fake.”

Zhao Bai quickly understood. “You want to flush out the spies in Southern Chen?”

Wen Yu said only, “This time, capture as many alive as possible. We must interrogate them to find out who is behind this.”

Zhao Bai acknowledged, “I understand.”

There were spies among the Southern Chen forces. Once the news that Jiang Yu was still alive spread, they would surely try to verify the body brought back, in order to report to their master.

By setting up defenses in advance, they could trap them effortlessly.

Zhao Bai could see that Wen Yu was truly exhausted and dared not disturb her further. After receiving her orders, she withdrew from the carriage to let Wen Yu rest.After the carriage curtain fell back into place, Wen Yu stared blankly at the pouch that had been returned to her waist before leaning against the soft pillow and closing her eyes.

She had changed her mind and left early on horseback with Gongsun Sanniang because she suddenly didn't know how to bid farewell to Xiao Li.

Moreover, after overhearing his conversation with his subordinate, she was no longer certain he would honor his promise to let her go.

The situation would not wait for anyone—she could no longer afford to remain trapped.

Even if they needed to have another frank and thorough conversation, it would have to happen after she had freed herself from his control.

Only, he probably would have no room for regret.

When he insisted on continuing to like her, she had already given him the chance to back out.

It was his own insistence.

Not her fault.