The Road to Glory

Chapter 235: "I Only Fear You Might Regret It"...

After these words fell, a deathly silence enveloped the great hall for a long while.

Xiao Li stood while Wen Yu sat on the stool beside the rocking cradle, their intersecting gazes holding not a trace of evasion.

Xiao Li's Adam's apple bobbed several times, yet he couldn't speak. The faint crimson in his eyes deepened under the candlelight, clearly reflecting pain, suffocation, surprise, joy, and too many unspeakable emotions darker than the night.

Wen Yu's profile bathed in the warm candlelight as she continued speaking to him: "I've already discussed with the Empress Dowager about finding a secluded meditation retreat to send the mother and child out of the palace. We'll announce to the public that King Chen has 'died of illness.' However, with the urgent military situation in the western border, we need to wait until the overall situation stabilizes somewhat..."

"Your words alone are enough," Xiao Li interrupted hoarsely.

His eyes, tinged with deep crimson as they gazed at her, appeared overwhelmingly dominant yet revealed a fragile determination that could tolerate no further mistakes. Like a riverbed long dried up, now soaked by gentle winds and fine rain, yet unwilling to repair previous cracks, wanting only to drown completely within.

Wen Yu watched him for a long time, seemingly sighing softly before raising her hand to gesture him closer.

As Xiao Li approached and sat down at her indication, watching the sleeping A Li in the rocking cradle together, Wen Yu gently rested her head on his shoulder and said: "With that marriage contract, henceforth whether we ascend to the highest heavens or descend to the yellow springs, you and I can never be separated."

Ever since her father and brother's heads were hung high on Fengyang's city gates, she had already had her bones crushed by this turbulent era. During her journey south, she could no longer distinguish whether hatred or righteousness sustained her.

But in those muddled and chaotic moments of life-and-death dependence, she had grasped a burning sincere heart, repeatedly scorching her icy fingers until they ached.

Now, at last, she could hold it carefully in her palm, unafraid of anything.

Xiao Li felt the weight resting on his shoulder, sensing something surging and congested in his chest, so full it nearly overflowed. He tightly clasped Wen Yu's hand and said: "That's exactly what I wanted to say to you."

Feeling the strength of his grip on her fingers, Wen Yu continued looking peacefully at A Li and asked: "No regrets?"

Xiao Li said: "I only fear you might regret it."

Wen Yu seemed to smile: "Then you've misjudged me."

Outside the hall, fine rain fell continuously, accumulated water on the eaves dripping slowly downward. Through the half-open lattice window, only the warm yellow candlelight illuminating the hall could be seen.

Within the hall, amidst the pattering rain and flickering candlelight, they bowed their heads and kissed quietly, jaw to jaw.

When Wen Yu was forced to tilt her head back further and reached to clutch Xiao Li's lapel for support, only to touch the scab on his neck, she stopped.

Xiao Li noticed and gently kissed her temple, saying: "It doesn't hurt."

During her confinement in Zhaohua Palace, Wen Yu had already noticed many new scars added to his body compared to their time at the mountain temple. But since many things remained unspoken between them then, she had kept silent about everything.

In bed, when certain excessive positions made those scars constantly visible, her anger couldn't even manifest in biting him for venting frustration. Thus she could only endure with closed eyes. He mistook this for resistance, driven by hatred, jealousy, and rage to increasingly extreme behavior that eventually earned him a bite mark - these things Xiao Li would never know.Wen Yu gently rubbed the scars with her fingertips and said, "Tell me about your time at the Northern Border."

Imperial Prison.

Zhao Bai sat in the interrogation armchair, the whip lying on the ground illuminated by the wall torch revealing mottled bloodstains. The prisoner under interrogation not far away had their clothing torn into countless shreds of blood-soaked cloth under the torture whip.

Beneath the tattered prison garb, vicious whip marks layered old and new injuries, leaving almost no patch of unbroken skin in the bloody mess.

An Azure Guard glanced at the hourglass nearby and said, "Commander, it's the fourth watch."

Zhao Bai suppressed agitation and impatience between her brows. Since returning to the royal court, she had been interrogating Pei Yuan, subjecting him to extreme torture day and night without any pattern, then tossing him back into the water prison. Yet despite such severe punishment, she still hadn't managed to pry open Pei Yuan's mouth.

Her sharp gaze swept like a blade toward Pei Yuan bound on the rack, sneering coldly: "Pei Song has truly raised a loyal dog."

Pei Yuan's hands were shackled to the torture rack. Were it not for these chains binding him, he would have long been unable to stand. Beneath disheveled hair, his eyelid, bridge of nose, and left cheek were all severely swollen from a bloody whip mark. With blood still clogging his throat, he managed a strained laugh: "Commander Zhao Bai, this loyal hound of the Wen family, is no less impressive."

Zhao Bai narrowed her eyes, knowing the other was deliberately provoking her to seek a quick death.

Footsteps approached from outside as an Azure Guard entered, whispering in Zhao Bai's ear: "Commander, we've captured a group of assassins attempting to break into the imperial prison. Their identities have been verified - they're Wolf Cavalry from the Xiao Army. They claim to have intelligence about Western Mausoleum Army movements and will only disclose it upon seeing their Lord Xiao."

Zhao Bai raised her hand to dismiss the Azure Guard. As she stood to leave the torture chamber, she cast a cold glance back at Pei Yuan and ordered the Azure Guards: "Pierce both his shoulder blades."

The cell holding Zhao Youcai and his group wasn't far from the torture chamber. When Pei Yuan's screams from having his shoulder blades pierced echoed through, Zhao Youcai shuddered in his cell, muttering fearfully: "Will we be next to face extreme torture for interrogation?"

None of the accompanying Wolf Cavalry answered him as Zhao Bai already approached with large strides, leading her Azure Guards from the direction of the torture chamber.

Zhao Youcai had originally intended to demand to see Xiao Li, but upon suddenly encountering Zhao Bai, he was so intimidated by her imposing presence that he couldn't utter a single word even when she reached their cell bars.

Zhao Bai's gaze swept over everyone in the cell, her expression frosty: "Where did you obtain intelligence about Western Mausoleum Army movements?"

Zhao Youcai, being clever and accustomed to flattery, served as the small leader of this Wolf Cavalry unit returning to the royal court to gather information about Xiao Li. Facing Zhao Bai's questioning, he still remembered their mission and stubbornly insisted: "We'll... we'll tell you when we see our Lord."

With a loud clang, Zhao Bai's bloodied whip slammed violently against the prison bars.

Another scream echoed from the torture chamber as Pei Yuan's other shoulder blade was pierced.

Under Zhao Bai's frosty gaze, Zhao Youcai swallowed hard and finally confessed everything: "North... north of Heng Lake, at least thirty thousand Western Mausoleum troops are marching north along the Jiashi Mountains."

Zhao Bai's expression turned sharp and cold: "Preposterous. Where would Western Mausoleum be marching north to attack? The naturally fortified Tiger Gorge Pass?"

At this point, Zhao Bai's expression suddenly shifted almost imperceptibly.After discovering Pei Yuan and the Hawk Hounds within Chen territory, Wen Yu immediately dispatched an urgent message to Liang, instructing Fan Yuan to lead soldiers capable of overcoming the cold barrier deep into the western frontier.

After all, if Pei Song and his Hawk Hounds could appear in Chen, it meant they must have exited through Tiger Gorge Pass.

Whether they had evaded the checkpoint inspections at Tiger Gorge Pass or whether Yang Shuo at the pass had turned traitor remained unclear.

Now, with Western Mausoleum forcing Chen's army to retreat to Gole City and diverting a large force northward... if Yang Shuo had already defected to Pei Song, then thirty thousand Western Mausoleum troops entering Liang through Tiger Gorge Pass would spell disaster for Great Liang!

In that scenario, not only would Chen receive no reinforcements, but even Great Liang—exhausted from years of bitter warfare—would struggle to protect itself.

Zhao Bai turned away with a face cold as frost, striding off rapidly.

Zhao Youcai, unaware of the underlying reasons, only felt he had shamed Xiao Li and the Wolf Cavalry with his earlier actions. Seeking to redeem himself, he shouted at Zhao Bai's retreating back, "Young master here acted righteously by giving you military intelligence! You can verify its truth, but don't forget to release our Lord afterward! Otherwise... otherwise our other brothers still lurking in the royal court aren't to be trifled with!"

He had marched with Zheng Hu to Heng Lake, where they observed the Western Mausoleum Army's movements. Zheng Hu then sent them back to report to Xiao Li. It was from Wolf Cavalry survivors at Straw Cape Lake that they learned Xiao Li had accidentally fallen into Wen Yu's hands, prompting their plan to break into the imperial prison for a rescue.

Zhao Bai glanced back at Zhao Youcai, who immediately fell silent.

Zhao Bai ordered his subordinates, "Just keep them imprisoned. Do not mistreat them."

He then continued hurrying toward the Torture Chamber.

Zhao Youcai, assuming his shouting had worked, straightened his posture after Zhao Bai and the Azure Guard departed, boasting to his fellow imprisoned Wolf Cavalry soldiers, "See that? They're scared."

—

Returning to the Torture Chamber, Zhao Bai hauled up a man whose collarbones had been pierced by iron chains, now barely breathing. His icy eyes burned with fury, "You stirred conflict between Chen and the desert tribes, forcing Chen's army to retreat to Gole City and severing their intelligence network in the desert. Then Pei Song joined forces with Western Mausoleum Army to march north—planning a two-pronged attack: assaulting Chen while invading Liang through Tiger Gorge Pass, isn't that right? Has Yang Shuo surrendered to Pei Song?"

Blood trickled from Pei Yuan's mouth. Hearing Zhao Bai's furious interrogation, he managed a strained, malicious smile, gasping out each word with effort, "Commander Zhao Bai... how brilliant... you've uncovered it all..."

Zhao Bai's expression darkened unbearably. Without wasting time on disposal orders, he stormed out of the imperial prison.

—

Under a pitch-black sky, rain poured down in sheets.

Inside the Western Mausoleum central military tent, Princess He Yi sat cross-legged, her raised leather boot nearly touching the chin of Pei Song, who knelt on one knee. Her features were strikingly vibrant and profound, sharp with unconcealed ambition.

"You claim to have forces inside Tiger Gorge Pass—that with my troops, you can coordinate from within to seize the pass and invade the Central Plains protected by Mount Gash. Considering you presented Great Liang's imperial jade seal to me and helped force Chen's army back to Gole City, I'll tentatively trust you this once."He Yi's sharp eyes lifted as she scrutinized the Central Plains general kneeling before her. Her frame was broad-shouldered, her skin deeply tanned. Having fought her way to this position alongside her brothers and uncles with blade and halberd, she possessed none of the delicate fragility common among women. The arm adorned with an armlet clearly showed the defined curve of developed muscles—the robust strength capable of wielding axes and swords.

"The court officials of Western Mausoleum would never permit a rootless Central Plains cur to command our Western Mausoleum warriors. This princess grants you the status of my third consort. Thirty thousand troops have already marched toward Tiger Gorge Pass. I trust my consort will not disappoint me."

Her voice seemed to carry a hint of laughter, yet she deliberately emphasized the word "consort" in her final sentence. Tapping rhythmically on the imperial jade seal presented by Pei Song, she smiled with careless warning: "My previous two husbands ceased to demonstrate their usefulness to me, so they died. My consort is so handsome—I do hope you'll live a long life."

Pei Song knelt on one knee, right hand pressed over his left chest. Though humiliated to this extent, his lips still curved in a smile that appeared utterly devout and admiring: "Song willingly serves the princess. Should I fail to conquer the Central Plains for you, may my bones lie buried in the perpetually frozen soil of Jiashi Mountain, never to enter the cycle of reincarnation."

Accustomed to such pledges of loyalty from her high position, He Yi merely curled her lips in a contemptuous, amused smirk: "Speaking of which, I'm quite curious. Though the Wen family destroyed your clan, you remain a Liang native. Aren't you afraid of being condemned through the ages for this invasion?"

Pei Song's smile gained a bloody edge: "My father served the Great Liang dynasty his entire life, yet still bore the eternal accusation of treason. From the day the Qin family was wrongly accused and our entire clan imprisoned, I ceased to be a Liang man. The lives of Liang people have nothing to do with me. If they remain obstinate, killing them would merely be slaughtering unenlightened livestock for the princess."

This answer pleased He Yi greatly. Sitting slightly straighter, she leaned forward to grip Pei Song's chin, studying this characteristically refined face of a Central Plains man before suddenly laughing: "I await my consort's military achievements to become Western Mausoleum's foremost warrior. You may go."

Pei Song's expression remained unchanged as he humbly bowed and withdrew, his gaze briefly sweeping over the jade seal He Yi had placed beside the low table.

Upon exiting the grand tent, the waiting Hawk Hound immediately stepped forward with an umbrella, matching his pace.

But Pei Song strode so rapidly through the slippery rainy path that the Hawk Hound fell half a step behind, allowing rain to soak Pei Song's shoulders.

The Hawk Hound hurriedly bowed in apology, but Pei Song remained enveloped in gloomy silence, merely taking a handkerchief to vigorously wipe his jaw.

Passing a tripod-mounted brazier, he tossed the handkerchief into the flames. Noticing another shadow retreating into the darkness, his eyes concealed deep malice and disgust. After walking some distance, he finally asked coldly: "Has there been any message from Pei Yuan?"

The umbrella-bearing Hawk Hound replied: "No messages for several days."

After a pause, he asked uncertainly: "Master, could something have happened... to the Commandant?"Pei Song halted his steps, gazing toward the state of Chen through the night rain, his expression so detached it seemed he wasn’t discussing a subordinate who had fought alongside him through life and death, as close as a brother: "Even if he failed to assassinate Han Yang and fell into her hands, at most Yang Shuo would be exposed as my man."

A chilling malice seeped from beneath his lowered lashes: "Didn’t Yang Shuo aspire to be a loyal minister of Liang? I’d like to see how the Yang clan can remain Liang’s ministers once the charge of colluding with the enemy and treason is pinned on him!"

A shadow lifted the tent flap and entered the central military tent, whispering something into He Yi’s ear.

He Yi toyed with the imperial jade seal carved with a five-clawed dragon, responding with a faint, indifferent curl of his lips: "No matter. Hatred is the most unyielding shackle in this world. As long as his hatred for Great Liang persists, he remains the fiercest hound at my command. If he ever appeared utterly submissive, that’s when I’d grow wary."

His panther-like eyes lifted slightly: "The forces he has at Tiger Gorge Pass—they might belong to Yang Shuo, the garrison general, or they might not. Tell Niru to stay vigilant after entering the pass."

Niru was the Western Mausoleum general accompanying Pei Song to Tiger Gorge Pass.

After the shadow withdrew, He Yi cradled the imperial jade seal in one hand, his gaze fixed upon it, ambition surging like a wild tide in his eyes: "The Central Plains?"

Royal Palace, State of Chen.

Dawn approached but had not yet broken; the rain continued unabated. Water dripped in threads from the eaves, and the iron horses that had swayed through the stormy night now hung still at the corners, raindrops trickling down the bronze bells.

Zhao Bai, unusually agitated, knocked on the palace doors.

Wen Yu was a light sleeper by nature, but exhaustion from the previous night had deepened her slumber. Only at the second, restrained knock did her eyelids flutter open.

A night lamp glowed in the corner of the inner chamber, casting the gauze curtains and everything within in a warm, hazy gold.

She pushed aside the iron arm draped across her waist, drew her robes over the marks that marred her body from the neck down—only her neck and above remaining unblemished—and rose.

Each day after court, she still had to convene private councils with her ministers. In these times, with marks on her neck impossible to conceal, she forbade him from leaving traces there—only for him to redouble his efforts elsewhere.