Chu Qiao running away from nowhere suddenly took her horse and ran away from the Palace. Her mind is racing, her face soaked in tears, it dried and just remained in bitter and cold.
She does not understand, and she refuses to give in to the moment knowing her memories were somewhat fragmented and like a puzzle looking for its missing pieces.
The Prince of Yanbei is an unexpected person she met and for a short period of time, four days to be exact, its like four years of her lifetime.
Time went slowly in his arms, his smiles, his sweet nothings, his child within attitude made her like him and discovering Yan Xun advancing his moves revealed in his actions and reminding her they were former lovers was just the problem, a heart issue that makes her present condition complicated.
She likes him not because she wanted to have a relationship and knowing he is the Commander in chief of the Xuili Army, she needs this chance to call his attention but the Prince seems is not going through any process of getting to know and friendship.
Yan Xun breached the walls of her heart which she thinks is not ready for anything more profound other than friendship even if she feels the Prince may have a past love whose name was Star and he sees it with her.
Her only reward was knowing she is A'Chu in his eyes, she was his right hand and still did not replace her as his General. Nothing of those mattered nor were discussed in their short getaway, and now she just left him there unable to reciprocate his feelings towards him.
The Prince is also getting married in a few months time, and if she stays longer and takes advantage of Yan Xun's opinions, what would she become?
Upon seeing the Canhong sword, her feet cannot last a minute to stand where she was at that time when Yan Xun nodded and understood her eagerness to go near and look for the sword.
If there is one thing, she is sure of herself at that moment its that feeling of she cannot wait to take the sword and unsheathed it.
It is a desire and joy when she saw it, it's the only thing she would ask out of favor and took from Yan Xun, and the Yanbei Prince on his grace gave it away by bestowing her royal orders and which she understood when Yan Xun walked to his Throne, she played that part very well.
However, her tears were a thing that was new to her and that attempt kiss she was ready to receive from Yan Xun and felt his rejection afterward dragged her feet away from him.
What could it be?
She does not feel she is getting any justice for it and she is set to find out.
Along the lonely road, are horse hooves she heard, she suddenly hides behind and when the horse hooves stopped where she is disappearing as the horses sense another horse is in the same feather did not violently act but one of their owners said: "Show yourself!"
Viper looking around sensed someone is lurking then finally Chu Qiao saw her, and she slowly pulled the reins of her horse and said: "Did you just ordered your Royal Princess to obey you?"
Viper heard that familiar calm voice she turned around and saw Chu Qiao.
She narrowed her eyes and said: "Mimi Gongzhu, where have you been?"
I have been to Xiu Xiu mountains. Chu Qiao not wanting to be interrogated she diverted: "And this man at your back? What is he doing? Sleeping?"
Viper replied: "I used my powers to hypnotize him but he gave me every terrain to look and search for you and if in case he is just tricking me, I will put him back to where he saw me the first time and continue his fate."
Chu Qiao chuckled and said: "I would rather choose that I haven't laid my eyes on you then if I were He Xiao."
Viper getting relaxed after few days of worry and sleepless night finally gave herself at ease finding Chu Qiao in order but somehow protruding eye bugs sprung in the corners of her beautiful eyes.
Chu Qiao joined Viper, and they rode back to the Xuili mountains and settled there for a few months. He Xiao woke up and was freed and still in on and off friction with Viper who is secretly watching her Mimi Gongzhu.
Viper never spoke to anyone in the camp, she remained mysterious, but if there are tasks that she needs to walk behind her Mimi Gongzhu, she is seen following her back as her escort instead of He Xiao.
Meanwhile, Zhong Yu assisted the forces at the Meilin border, alleviating the struggles of the Xiuli army's 5,000 troops as they battled the elite forces of the Xiaoqi camp.
The local townspeople, many of whom had become victims of the war, also faced dire circumstances. Some children, orphaned by the conflict, were rescued and brought into the custody of the Xuili Camp.
These children had lost their parents to the ravages of war—mutilated or killed by the Wei state forces, who showed no mercy except to the young survivors, whom the Xuili army managed to save.
In response, Chu Qiao wrote to Yan Xun, requesting support to establish a rehabilitation facility dedicated to the children's mental and emotional recovery. She offered her own services to care for them, ensuring they would receive the attention and care they needed to heal from their trauma.
The Prince of Yanbei responded positively to Chu Qiao's request. Since then, she became the key mediator between the Xuili army and the Yanbei Prince.
Additionally, the royal escorts were freed and returned to the Prince of Yanbei. They were unable to recount the events that transpired after the night they breached one of their own Xuili military camps.
Since their last meeting, Chu Qiao had neither seen nor heard from the Prince of Yanbei directly. Instead, she occasionally received updates through military announcements, royal orders, and official letters addressed to the Generals, particularly General Chu.
Despite the flurry of activity and plans, the Prince remained true to his word. This commitment provided Chu Qiao with some breathing room, allowing her time to reflect on the situation at the Meilin border pass and the broader state of affairs in Yanbei.
Finally, General Chu was reinstated and received her official orders to return to work from the Prince of Yanbei, who maintained his absolute authority.
It is winter, and Yuan Che who is the current royal commander-in-chief at Xiaoqi camp gathered various bits of military intelligence and some dubious gossip without solid evidence. He overheard these whispers in the military galley and pantries, and they seemed to stir up an air of fear and weakness within his camp.
Driven by growing curiosity, Yuan Che decided to initiate a high-risk mission. He planned to send volunteers on a suicide infiltration mission to the Xuili Camp to investigate whether these rumors held any truth.
Yuan Che meticulously crafted the plan, selecting five of his most skilled operatives, experts in sabotage, ambush, and infiltration. Once the plan was finalized, he composed a letter and dispatched an envoy to the emperor, seeking approval for the mission.
The envoy arrived at Shen Jin Palace and presented the military communication to the Emperor. The Emperor's reaction was subdued as he reviewed the request, ultimately sealing and approving the suicide mission with one condition.
Yuan Che agreed to the condition and then approached the Bathuja family to include Prince Zaru as the leader of the mission. Thus, the mission would be undertaken by five men alongside the Black Prince.
When the seal arrived at Bathuja Palace, Zama expressed disapproval of the mission, noting that it involved a mismatch of personnel. Zaru, however, preferred to select five men from the Blackguards Camp. He argued that military personnel and Blackguards could not effectively work together due to their differing training and mindsets.
The military operates strictly on a chain of command, while the Blackguards follow no such rules, executing missions by any means necessary, often accepting that their assignments are a one-way ticket.
This posed another challenge for Yuan Che as he responded to the Bathuja family. The instructions from his father were clear: without the Black Prince, the mission could not proceed. The Bathuja family, on the other hand, preferred to deploy their own men rather than rely on military forces for such a risky task.
Yuan Che faced a critical decision. Meanwhile, Yuan Song, who had been secretly intercepting these messages using the Eyes of God, saw an opportunity. Knowing his brother well, Yuan Song decided he wanted to join the mission himself. He was determined to uncover the truth behind the gossip and would not yield to the Black Prince. This mission presented a chance for him to get directly involved and see the situation for himself.
On one condition, Yuan Song proposed a deal to his brother: he would use two men from the Eyes of God, who specialized in tasks like these, in addition to the specialized military staff Yuan Che would deploy.
Yuan Song traveled to Xiaoqi Camp to meet his brother, Yuan Che.
"Brother, how are you doing?" Yuan Song greeted.
Yuan Che looked up in surprise. "This is an unexpected visit, Your Highness. What brings you here?"
"Nothing in particular," Yuan Song replied casually. "I just wanted to check in on you and see if there are any issues where I might be of assistance."
Yuan Che was in a desperate situation to execute his plans but if he involves his brother the crown prince of Wei his father might punish him. But who knows his childish brother might have bright ideas for him to solve his problems and finally execute his plans.
Yuan Che out of alternatives said to Yuan Song: "I heard gossip, and you won't believe this."
Yuan Song suddenly all ears he said: "Did you leveled up my brother? Or went dull?"
"We do not work for gossips we eliminate them right? He is starting to talk about his brother and making sense."
Yuan Che replied: "I know but this gossip is posing a threat to Xiaoqi camp."
Yuan Song cannot believe his brother is acting this way.
A gossip threatening the Commander-in-Chief must be a severe and alarming situation. Gossip may not only be gossip at all but a state of emergency downplayed by some diplomatic means?
Yuan Song did not have precise information as to where and what is the background of the gossip passed by Eyes of God report as the military communication was intercepted and presented to him.
The message was all too general thus, he is also in suspense to know so his interest is at hand but will continue to challenge his brother until his brother asks him to become involved.
What is small gossip compared to the 300,000 troops of Wei? Not to mention 100,000 Wei Valve troops guarding the borders day and night? Yuan Song having pride in their own Empire reminded his brother of their Military might.
Yuan Che said: A gossip like this is like a match, one drop of a match stick in the forest can create a wild-fire, it cannot be overlooked.
Yuan Song finally gave up his challenge he offered himself and said: Tell me, maybe I can be of help.
Yuan Che looked at his brother and said: You? Did you forget your protocols?
Who? Me? I did not forget, but just because I have protocols to follow doesn't mean I will not also act on behalf of the palace out of our Military chivalry. I have heard in the foreign kingdoms the princes were thrown into battlefields and were tested to their core before their thrones are passed down to them.
They call that baptism of fire. A tone of rant from Yuan Song.
"Little brother, we cannot have you on board. It's too risky, this is a suicide mission." Yuan Che does not clearly approve.
"First of all, I am not little anymore. Second, maybe the risk you know is not really a risk at all since it is gossip. Third I am asking, will you let me avenge our sister, mother and Wei Shu Ye?"
"All the internal conflicts started to creep in our clan just because for once I believed that Peace can be achieved by using goodness as a means."
Yuan Song is already thinking like a man with many responsibilities.
Yuan Che looking at his brother in profound wisdom as if he knows how to be a wise ruler said: "I remember what you told to me that day. You blocked my way and 10,000 troops to enter in Meilin border pass. You even insisted as the Duke of Yanbei, you are willing to be stepped on? That time you are talking insane and really believe you can achieve peace by those means? Out of depression our father released a decree to declare you like the Duke of Yanbei as a band-aid approach and show the sovereignty of Wei over Yanbei when Yan Xun breaks out we have no other options but to put true blue blood in the land of Yanbei to control it as the rebel escaped to recover Yanbei. Your job was to expand influence with the help of Yuwen Yue in Yanbei and Meilin border is an essential military strategic pass, but for some reason with your short-sighted, you did not put yourself at will and was so overwhelmed with your emotions and childish mind."
Yuan Che turned his back and looked very far.
"That is a long rant, my brother!" Yuan Song gave a sly smile and said: "Try me now."
Yuan Che replied:" I cannot let you enter to a suicide mission."
"Then do not make it a suicide mission, pick someone from the eyes of God and let it operate like the way it used to be." Yuan Song is pressing determined to stand on every word he says.
"Who can it be? Without Yuwen Yue, the eyes of God was just like a machine, not the way it used to be "the Pulse."
"Why not Yuwen Huai?" Yuan Song finds alternatives.
"Are you at memory loss? He just burned down the Eyes of god repository, the smartest thing a noble can do is to press its self-destruct button and boom!"
Yuan Che somewhat angry and sarcastic voice is talking in reverse psychology to Yuan Song.
Yuan Song laughed a bit and said: "Yes that's the smartest thing that the Highest Supreme court official can do, burn it all down."
Yuan Song was riding all reverse psychology statements of his brother added: "Just because Yuwen Yue is incapable of holding it anymore, due to abuse of power he committed as their loyalty pact takes effect by the time Yan Xun was sieged, that gave internal crises to arise inside Yuwen household. And what did we do? We were supposed to support them and not hammer them and break them into pieces. Never forget that without the Eyes of God "Wei's Pulse," Wei will fall down and go back to the stone age days. Do you want to hunt for food the way our nomad ancestors did before? "
Yuan Che realizes Yuan Song has a point. Why did their father suppressed the Eyes of God Major General Yuwen Yue and put him under his command and then floated the status of Yuwen Huai and broke down the Supreme court justice of the land?
Both of them looked into their eyes then Yuan Che said: "What is our father after for? Is he changing the regime or the Imperial form of government? Or he wants to cut all of Yan's connection to the throne?"
Yuan Song is blinking his eyes and put his finger on his temple tapping it, and like a child thinking in his sight, it irritated Yuan Che, and he said: "You are making some funny faces again and this is not a time for us to make fun."
Yuan Song getting back to the world of grown-ups, sat up straight and went formal: "That is what I am going to find out for you if you let me take part in it."
Yuan Song has never been this convincing and has never let him hear this hauntingly low male bass voice that nobody can shatter and can say no.
Another uninvited visitor came, and the military guard went to inform Yuan Che's person.
Yuan Che was surprised then said: "let him come in."
The Prince came and on his Black leather made from animal skin hood and Hanfu clothing inside revealed a genuine style and a ferocious strong scent issued on air. Its shoulders full of snow particles he dusted it off and on his usual airy attitude greeted the 7th Prince and was just surprised as well to see the Crown Prince of Wei, His Highness 13th Prince Yuan Song.
"Define Black?"
Yuan Che breaks the ice on the three of them.
Prince Zaru exclaimed: "What more can a black presence means Zaru is inside the Xiaoqi camp."
While Yuan Song on his serious face suddenly smiled like a child and Zaru mirrored him.
Yuan Song suddenly asked: "What did the Black Prince eat and drink last night and he surprisingly came to visit Xiaoqi camp?"
"I ate and drank this."
Prince Zaru gave it to Yuan Song.
Yuan Song's face went back to formal and looked very far and passed it to Yuan Che.
Snow is starting to fall in the mountains, and three buried their looks as they take a bite on gossip that evolved and turning itself to become truth, one can tell Xuili Army is going to bury Xiaoqi camp deep in the snow.
Connect toChapter 42 Tributary hunt
Lookback toChapter 38 Throne of Ember