Yuwen Yue's heart raced as he spotted the Canhong sword on the floor, the final piece of a puzzle he had been trying to solve. The realization hit him like a wave—Chu Qiao was indeed the real Chu Qiao, the woman he had known and loved through so many layers of secrecy and intrigue.
Yuwen Yue carefully picked up the Canhong sword from the floor and placed it in a secure location. He realized that this was not just any sword but a symbol of Chu Qiao's true identity and their shared history.
The authenticity of the Canhong sword was beyond question; only its true owner could possess and wield such a unique and significant weapon. It was an irrefutable sign of identity and legacy.
Who else knows the authenticity of the sword but the owner himself?
Choosing to forgo his usual work for the day, Yuwen Yue embraced a different role—one of a carpenter. He set about crafting a beautiful wall-mounted sword holder. This task was more than just a practical necessity; it was a gesture of his deep respect and admiration for the truth now revealed.
As he worked, his mind was filled with the satisfaction of finally being able to acknowledge the real Chu Qiao and the genuine bond they shared. The sword holder he created was not merely a functional object but a testament to the authenticity of their connection and the significance of the sword.
Chu Qiao still asleep, Yuwen Yue looked at her face and finds everything in order he left her and went to the woods to gather some wood materials.
The Yuwen parrot is flying on his back but does not go near Yuwen Yue. After half an hour, Yuwen Yue you passed by the bamboo forest 10 kilometers from their lodge and suddenly sensed some danger, a post instinct he feels happened at midnight. Yuwen Yue being an excellent Master investigator back in Green Hills courtyard, he counted the footprints, and also memorized their unique sole and counted three people. Those were not as big as a man's sole, so it could only be three women on site last night.
Yuwen Yue analyzed each footprint and closed his eyes he re-enacted the martial arts including the swordplay of the footprints which he followed its footsteps.
A rustling sound of bamboo leaves filled the air as a cold wind brushed against Yuwen Yue's face. He observed the precise cuts in the bamboo trees and concluded, "Someone was wounded, someone escaped, and someone stayed."
He recalled the Canhong sword he found earlier in their room and realized that Chu Qiao might be hiding something from him about last night's events.
Yuwen Yue's doubts lingered, but he decided not to confront Chu Qiao just yet. Instead, he set aside his suspicions and focused on his plans for the day. Determined to uncover the truth, he planned a surprise for Chu Qiao, hoping it would reveal more about the events of the previous night.
He hasn't shown yet what he can do including his Poe Yue Jian sword, he believes his wife does not know anything about him at present and seems even his past is unknown to her.
Yuwen Yue wonders what happened to her after the icy lake tragedy…
What did Yan Xun do to her after the incident or was distressed under Yuan Song's grandeur display.
He knows Chu Qiao loathes any of those when he first saw her walking along the red carpet. Beautiful and brave and yet he knows her heart was sad and looking at the condition of his heart at that moment is beating the same as she does.
Back in Shen Jin Palace, the Wei Emperor, having not seen Yuan Song since his initial night with the Wei crown princess, issued a command for the royal eunuch to summon him.
The news about the 13th Prince of Wei, Yuan Song, was causing quite a stir. Reports revealed that he was frequently drinking and spending his nights not with the Wei crown princess, but with a group of women from his harem and occasionally inviting maidservants. This behavior was troubling for the Wei Emperor, who was unaccustomed to seeing his son indulge in such womanizing habits.
The Emperor speculated that Yuan Song's actions might stem from issues with his wife, Chu Qiao, perhaps finding her too strong-willed or disobedient. Despite his son's apparent failure to fulfill his marital duties, the Emperor was reminded of Yuan Song's earlier achievements, particularly his victory over Yan Xun. However, the silence of Yan Xun since being declared King of Yanbei and marrying his Queen left the Emperor questioning whether Yuan Song's triumph was as complete as it seemed.
Even with the title of King of Yanbei, Yan Xun remained a declared traitor and rebel against Wei. This contradiction in Yuan Song's situation, coupled with Yan Xun's silence, left the Emperor pondering the true outcome of their conflict.
The Emperor of Wei was intrigued by a new set of rumors from Yanbei. Whisperers reported that Yan Xun had been treating his Queen, Xiao Yu, with exceptional care. He had sent substantial gifts of gold, silver, and bronze to King Tang of Southern Liang both before and after their marriage, indicating a gesture of goodwill and respect.
Additionally, Yan Xun had taken Xiao Yu on a honeymoon to the picturesque XuiXui mountains, underscoring their seemingly devoted and romantic relationship. However, the Emperor's curiosity was sparked by another intriguing rumor: Yan Xun had secretly constructed a grand palace near the XuiXui mountains.
This palace was said to be dedicated to a Lady Yan General who bore a striking resemblance to Chu Qiao, although the true identity of this General remained shrouded in mystery.
The palace was reportedly closed off to everyone except Yan Xun himself, fueling speculation and adding an air of secrecy about the General's identity and whereabouts.
These developments in Yanbei contrasted sharply with the Emperor's perception of his own son's situation and left him questioning the true nature of the recent events and their implications for the future.
The Wei Emperor asks himself: Who is this Yan Lady General that looks like Chu Qiao?
Is she important other than Chu Qiao? Or are they the same person? The Wei Emperor trying to understand everything from rumors cannot clear his thoughts about it.
Yan Xun had perfected the art of spinning news, a skill he honed both before and after his escape from Wei to Yanbei. Much like Yuwen Yue, he adeptly controlled all information flowing in and out of his palace, mirroring his rival's strategies and espionage activities.
Yuan Song woke to find himself surrounded by the familiar scene of indulgence: five women sprawled across his bed and one more on the floor, all draped in expensive, half-disheveled silk Hanfu. The aftermath of another wild night was evident in the disarray of their garments and the disheveled state of the room.
Xiao Ba, his first concubine, approached him with a look of pity. "When will you stop these wild parties?" she asked, her tone a mix of frustration and concern. "You promised me a place as your first concubine, but your behavior has only worsened since then."
Flashback to the Wedding of Yuan Song and Xia Chong ( the fake Chu Qiao)
Yuan Song's mind drifted back to a different time, a time of anticipation and excitement. He remembered the nine days of eager waiting for his wedding with Chu Qiao, the Wei crown princess, who had walked down the aisle in a stunning grand wedding gown, leaving everyone in awe.
Chu Qiao's hair was styled in the traditional Chinese manner, adorned with an array of gold hairpins and jade crystals. The intricate decorations made her hair almost too heavy to wear, but she carried it with grace and dignity. Despite the weight, she walked with a regal poise that commanded respect.
Yuan Song, the proud crown prince, was overjoyed as he accepted Chu Qiao's hand in marriage. She was officially crowned Wei's crown princess, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the empire's history.
The wedding celebrations were lavish and extensive. Nobles, military officials, and dignitaries from all ranks were invited to the grand event. The festivities stretched over three nights, featuring continuous banquets with flowing wine and an extravagant feast.
The Yuwen household contributed grand gifts and prime war horses, adding to the grandeur of the occasion. The palace Ministers, Shrine elders and Wei valve masters a regular attendee hold the Kampai the toasts of goblets on the air, and all followed and shouted "cheers" and greeted the new crown prince and crown princess of the Wei Empire.
The atmosphere was filled with joyous revelry and high spirits, marking a momentous event in the Wei Empire's history.
During the period of Yuan Song's engagement leading up to the wedding day, several notable Eastern royal guests stayed at the Wei palace. Among them were Queen Zhejue of Qinghai, the second Prince Ra Zheng, and the sixth Prince Ra Zhun. However, the seventh Prince Ra Yue and his aide, Zuo Zong, were notably absent.
Following the night when Yuwen Yue had breached the Wei crown princess's palace, he had remained unusually quiet. His efforts to reach out to Chu Qiao had been obstructed, leaving him with little opportunity to act upon his intentions or speak with her.
The Wei royal escorts have reported and counted some men who were put to sleep that night but woke up as if nothing had happened, no one died, and no one escaped, and everything went back to normal.
Flashback of Ra Yue (Yuwen Yue) approaching Yuan Song's Wedding day
Ra Yue cannot possibly hold himself seeing Chu Qiao walking down the aisle marrying the 13th Prince of Wei. Two days before the wedding, he visited the Wei Emperor to apologize for his early departure. He explained that his princely duties and the pressing conflict with various eastern tribes required his immediate attention.
The Queen thinks it is too soon to leave Wei, and it is dangerous for the crown prince to be alone. Prince Ra Zheng and Ra Zhun believes this is an unexpected thing, but then they let their brother go with his thousand armies dressed in white.
Yuwen Yue was back on his journey to Qinghai Empire.
Yuwen Yue arrived at his palace and immediately wrote a letter to his Father. Yuwen Yue looks depressed, but he did not succumb to this condition. Instead, he promised himself to find the truth about his family and Chu Qiao.
Questions in his mind like..How did Chu Qiao arrived at such..why does Chu Qiao does not even recognize me even for a moment of eye contact, its empty.
These made Yuwen Yue believe something is wrong and he is not there to watch things happen, but something needs to be ironed out.
After three nights of lavish banquets and the completion of all traditional ceremonies, the Wei Empire's health ministry selected an auspicious date for the union and consummation of Crown Prince Yuan Song and Crown Princess Chu Qiao.
Yuan Song looking so groomed handsome and gorgeous full-grown man was ready and excited to meet his Chu Qiao when suddenly Xia Chong threw him a needle.
Blinded by his first love Chu Qiao, Yuan Song fell where Xia Chong is standing, and Xiao Ba came in to replace her that night.
When morning arrived, the cards were laid bare: Yuan Song was found with another woman, not Chu Qiao.
Xia Chong acted as if she is so consumed with jealousy and betrayed, she issued a decree that she refuses to respond if the 13th prince summons her presence. She also stated that she will not go to sleep with the 13th Crown Prince of Wei until all matters are settled.
It was supposed to be their first night, but Yuan Song slept with somebody else, not Chu Qiao. Xia Chong made her acting real in front of everybody deceiving she is the real Chu Qiao and therefore used her position to defy the Wei Emperor and the 13th Prince of Wei.
This made the 13th Prince very sad, and the only console was to go after the harem and find some girls to spend the night with. Xiao Ba took this opportunity to force Yuan Song to fulfill his jade promise and made her his first concubine. But Yuan Song, lost and childish was not able to stand and look at things in proper perspective.
Yuan Song's behavior and the chaotic situation surrounding him led to significant concern for the Wei Emperor. The prince's disinterest in his responsibilities and his reckless actions with his harem indicated a troubling decline in his character and judgment.
This downfall was in stark contrast to the Emperor's expectations and added to the already complex political and familial issues within the Wei Empire. The Emperor's worries were compounded by the prince's inability to manage the delicate situation with Chu Qiao and his deteriorating reputation.
He became what he is right now where the Wei Emperor is so much concerned.
While Yuan Song was consumed by his own struggles and obsession, Yuan Che seized the opportunity to effectively manage the Wei Empire. The Wei Emperor, recognizing Yuan Che's capability and the instability surrounding his other sons, entrusted him with more military authority and resources.
In contrast, Yuan Yang sought to undermine Yuan Che's efforts. He deliberately created obstacles and challenges, hoping to derail his brother's progress and advance his own claim to the throne. Despite these efforts, Yuan Che, well-versed in military strategy and adept at navigating political intrigues, managed to outmaneuver his brother's schemes. His tactical acumen and resilience allowed him to continue his ascent, maintaining his position and influence within the empire.
There is little known about Yuan Yang, but he is widely regarded as someone biding his time, waiting for the opportune moment to seize the Wei throne.
Historically, Yuan Yang has demonstrated his ambition. In the past, the Wei Emperor had temporarily entrusted him with the imperial seal, recognizing him as the only eligible prince to fulfill his duties while Yuan Che was away. During that period, Yuan Che was engaged in a crucial defense against the outlanders and untouchables, a pressing conflict that required his attention away from the empire.
Yuan Yang, a silent observer of the royal court, remained distant from both the ministers and the Yuwen nobles. His demeanor was cold and unpredictable; he would shift his stance depending on the circumstances and the situation at hand.
Xia Chong, who had taken Chu Qiao's place on the night of her escape, made a significant impact by defying Wei traditions. Her continued role and mission were uncertain, dependent on the orders of the cunning Prince Xiao Ce, who had provided their access to the Wei palace alongside Xiao Ba.
The agreement was clear. Either Chu Qiao would be freed, or Xia Chong will rot in Liang's secret prison.
After Chu Qiao's apparent death, the two sisters became Yan Xun's targets as he sought to locate Chu Qiao. They were imprisoned, with no hope of release until Chu Qiao was found. Upon hearing of their plight, Xiao Ce arranged for an assassin to break them out of Yanbei's prison. Unfortunately, the mission failed.
Later, Xiao Ce discovered that someone had intercepted his orders and sent another envoy, who captured the two sisters and sold them to a brothel. Xiao Ce blamed himself for the leak in his plans and was unaware of their exact location.
The crown prince, frustrated by his inability to locate the sisters, was further enraged. Eventually, Tie You, by sheer accident, found the sisters. This discovery not only put Tie You's life at risk but also implicated Xiao Ce in a public trial orchestrated by the Liang Empire.
With all the political upheaval and consequences looming, Xiao Ce managed to rescue Xiao Ba and Xiao Qi from a brothel in Liang. By then, it was too late to prevent the damage: Xiao Ba had been exploited by bandits, and Xiao Qi, lacking proper medical care, was in a nearly fatal condition.
Furious over the tragic fate of Chu Qiao's sisters, Xiao Ce ordered the brothel to be destroyed, burning it to the ground. His rage and determination were unprecedented, as he took decisive action to address the situation.
In his quest to secure his allies and ensure his plans were unimpeded, Xiao Ce now focused on protecting Yue Qi, Xiao Ba, and Xiao Qi. His resolve was clear: no further threats or disruptions would be tolerated as he worked to consolidate his power and navigate the treacherous political landscape.
As a souvenir, so did he treated these people close to Chu Qiao. Xiao Ce even tried to look for Yuwen Yue but unfortunately, Zao Baocung did not come back with positive reports to protect the new identity of Yuwen Yue.
Zao Baocung did not become honest to Xiao Ce as his loyalty flipped when he learned about the Qinghai crown prince Yuwen Yue is alive, and he kept this as a secret.
When Xiao Ce learned that Yuwen Yue is really dead, he became sad knowing he won't be able to have more hope of seeing the positive side.
Xiao Ce spent sleepless nights in Liang's red-light district, drinking away his troubles but never seeking companionship. Despite his broken heart, he reminisced about a fine archer coach he had once met in Wei's hunting grounds in Chang'an, finding solace in those memories.
However, Xiao Ce's focus shifted when he heard a rumor that Chu Qiao was alive and possibly hiding in the Xuili mountains, still commanding the Xuili army. Although this was just a rumor with no solid evidence, it reignited his hope and determination to find her. Despite the lack of concrete proof, Xiao Ce was resolute in his pursuit, driven by the faint possibility that Chu Qiao might still be out there.
Then he just got some rumors again that Chu Qiao was in love with Yuan Song as the news spread like fire, Xiao Ce on his mix emotions was both happy and sad at the same time.
Happy because Xiao Ce thinks he has a chance to steal her and sorry because why did Chu Qiao choose someone like Yuan Song?
After the eve of Chu Qiao's engagement and where his Pandora's box was opened and operating under the grounds of Wei's royal palace, Xiao Ce cannot locate where is Chu Qiao and she just disappeared and gone again.
Overwhelmed by frustration and guilt, Xiao Ce blamed himself for her disappearance. The thought of losing her forever weighed heavily on him, deepening his sense of despair.
Yuan Song made changes on his attitude especially the way he handles his affairs, he made sure everyone sees and knows including the fake Chu Qiao (which is Xia Chong).
Xia Chong has to act firmly and used it against Yuan Song and declared a cold war with him using his first concubine Xiao Ba which is the woman who slept with him the night they were supposed to be together.
Yan Xun seems silent on this news, but he thinks Chu Qiao is intentionally sending this news to be known by the world (Yan Xun's military code name) but cannot understand if it's a trap or another lure to kill him if he responds.
Yan Xun cannot possibly act to save her because Xiao Yu might not have put poison on the needle the last night he was with Chu Qiao, but Xiao Yu put the poison in Yan Xun's head by making him believe Chu Qiao tried to kill him that night.
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Ever since then Yan Xun had a heavy heart but did not let anyone know not even to A'jing or Zhong Yu. He kept it to himself and the fruit of it became anger in his heart hungry for an act of revenge.
He went back to his old self where he abandoned his duties as their king to Xuili army.
Yan Xun knows that every time Chu Qiao reaps the unlucky fortune in the Wei palace throne as a married woman, he will make sure to exchange ten times lucky fortune using his marriage with the new Queen of Yanbei.
Yan Xun secretly hopes that when Chu Qiao will get some news of his successful wedding including their honeymoon at XuiXui mountains where Yan Xun and Chu Qiao stayed for three nights, Xiao Yu and Yan Xun remained for a month and what else can a woman think about what do married couple does?
Yan Xun hopes Chu Qiao will feel jealous and regret over everything she did to him at the night he tried his best to ask her for the last time to become his Queen.
Yan Xun still feels for her but wants Chu Qiao to do her move to come back to him, and he promised himself to make Chu Qiao regret it.
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How much this is going to hurt Chu Qiao was not really the case as the flip of events became complicated for them but not for her.
Chu Qiao simply out of the loop became her haven of freedom. She has long been a desert empty of anything even the sands of time, her memories still trying to come back to her mortal self is somewhat undergoing a process.
And Yuwen Yue who is the only person who looked at Chu Qiao in a different view knows he had to do something, and in his heart and mind, he finally ended in this saying:
Loving you is not easy.
It will be like going to a war with no arms.
It will be like holding a bow and hand you the arrows.
So brace yourself as I come to redeem you.
As I embrace you, my heart in a bloodbath
What lies ahead should always be, you.