Chapter 130: “A Xue, I have been waiting for you…”

**Chapter 130 "A Xue, I've been waiting for you..."**

"Xue Li, Junior General Lin was the most determined to live of anyone I’ve known," Li Weiyan said.

By the time he spoke these words, the two had already arrived at Li Weiyan’s bedchamber. The spacious chamber was scented with incense and softly lit by lamps, accompanied by the gentle patter of rain outside the window. Everything was enveloped in a serene and ethereal tranquility.

Xue Li used the towel he handed her to slowly dry her damp hair cascading from her shoulders.

Her disheveled state was improper for a man to witness. But Li Weiyan was a friend, and Xue Li herself had no such reservations. Li Weiyan also cherished this familiarity.

Since becoming emperor, he had been overwhelmed daily, learning the decorum expected of an emperor—a tiresome ordeal.

He desperately wanted to go out and enjoy himself.

But he couldn’t.

He couldn’t let the efforts and sacrifices of his former companions become meaningless.

Now, Li Weiyan dismissed the palace attendants, leaving only Xue Li with him. Though the servants were somewhat uneasy, they withdrew quietly, used to the emperor’s mercurial moods.

Alone together, listening to the rain, Xue Li pondered Li Weiyan’s words.

Was Lin Ye the most determined to live?

Yet he met her, who had no will left to live.

Only after a year did she grasp his unwillingness to let go.

Xue Li wiped the rainwater from her lashes and said softly, "I want to take A Ye away. He shouldn’t be trapped in the ice, his body and soul no longer his own. I’ve thought about what you said before—what if there's a way to save him? Back then, I thought it was hopeless. I was too slow to understand... But now, I wonder—what if?"

Her voice was emotionless. "If there's a way to save him, I'll stop at nothing. If not, I’ll cremate his remains and take his ashes with me. Either way, I don’t want him imprisoned beneath the ice, frozen in place."

Li Weiyan replied, "But I can't save him."

Xue Li’s eyelashes fluttered faintly as she lowered her head. Her fingers tightened around the towel, turning white with the strain, but she remained silent.

She sat quietly, caught between defiance and hopelessness, unsure of what to say.

After a long pause, Xue Li whispered, "Li Weiyan, can I—"

"I truly can't save him," Li Weiyan interrupted, smiling helplessly. "Journeying with the Junior General taught me much. I owe him greatly. If not for his arrangement—transferring the Sichuan-Shu army’s forces to me with precision—and if not for his guidance in securing the allegiance of the Sichuan-Shu generals... even with Grand Chancellor Lu's support, my return to Jianye as emperor wouldn’t have been so smooth. After all, to Southern Zhou, I was just Prince Yu’s bastard son, unworthy of the throne."

Li Weiyan continued, "The Junior General orchestrated so much. It was only later that I understood his painstaking efforts. So, if my blood could still help, I would have gladly given it to those troopers who had no connection to me—why wouldn’t I give it to Lin Ye? But Xue Li, ever since saving Lu Liangchen, my blood has been useless."

Li Weiyan shrugged indifferently. "No matter how many medicinal herbs the Lu family used to restore me, the loss couldn’t be reversed. I’ve lost that uncanny power to bring back the dead. It must have been the excessive blood loss... undoing the decade of work my elder brother invested in me."

Xue Li looked up at him.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Li Weiyan’s heart warmed at her concern—uncharacteristic of Xue Li.

"Don’t look at me like that," he said. "Lu Qingmei also feels indebted to me, always acting ashamed around me... You don’t need to be like this. For me, it’s a good thing. Others don’t get it, but you do. Even if my lifespan is shortened, I’m glad to be rid of this 'medicinal test subject' body. You know how much I despise uncontrollable fate... I’m satisfied now.

"The past of the Southern Zhou young master has been buried with Lin Ye’s departure. No one covets the blood of the Southern Zhou young master anymore, seeking eternal life like Tang Sanzang’s flesh. I’m free now."

Xue Li said, "Congratulations."

She folded the towel and stood up. "Then I’ll go."

Li Weiyan said, "But perhaps Young General Zhaoye can still be saved?"

Xue Li turned around sharply and saw the young emperor holding a crimson pill between his fingers, smiling at her.

Li Weiyan winked at her. "I told you—Lin Ye is the person I’ve met who most strongly desires to live."

Xue Li finally realized, "...Was it A Ye? Did he make preparations before heading to the Luoyang palace?"

Li Weiyan clapped his hands, and an imperial physician stepped out from the back hall. Xue Li recognized him—he had always followed Emperor Guangyi, specializing in researching the "HeartEater" poison, medicinal test subjects, and countless obscure medicines and poisons that most people would never encounter in their lifetimes.

Xue Li then recalled that when Bai Li found them by the waterfall at Luoshui, there had been bloodstains on Lin Ye’s wrist.

Indeed, she had never questioned why there was blood on his wrist. Logically, it must have been part of his plan with Li Weiyan—to use blood to lure Bai Li away from Wei Changyin. But Lin Ye had lied to her then, assuring her he wouldn’t use his Heart's Blood; instead, he and Li Weiyan would pour animal blood into the waterfall to make the Huoqiu Army believe the Southern Zhou young master had drawn blood. Now, looking back, there were indeed suspicious points—

If it was merely a deception, even as a ruse, the blood should have been on his chest. People believed the Southern Zhou young master’s Heart's Blood was a rare miracle cure, but no one ever thought blood from the wrist had any value.

A year later, Xue Li remembered every detail of that day with perfect clarity. Thinking it over now, she was absolutely certain—"When I saw A Ye that day, there truly was a wound on his wrist. When you were with him, did you draw blood from his wrist?"

Li Weiyan gave a confirming nod.

His expression relaxed. He enjoyed speaking with intelligent people.

He told Xue Li that back then, he and Lin Ye had discussed the plan. Lin Ye had already decided to go to the Luoyang palace and had anticipated the high risks involved. He needed to prepare for the worst-case scenario. He didn’t want to die, but if necessary, he would have no choice but to use the third drop of his Heart's Blood.

Li Weiyan: "My blood can save anyone in this world—except Lin Ye. Because Lin Ye already had my blood within his heart. It had been sealed inside his meridians for so long that, regardless of how slowly it flowed, his body should have developed resistance. What would be a lifesaving elixir for others is completely ineffective for Lin Ye.

"Lin Ye thought so too... So before going to the palace, he cut his wrist and drew his own blood, leaving it with me. He told me he hoped the imperial physician could use his blood to find a way to save him. If he could live, he didn’t want to die."

Xue Li’s gaze shifted toward the imperial physician.

The physician looked haggard and numb, as though he had aged ten years overnight.

Working for the Li imperial family, he had lived every day in fear, concocting all sorts of experimental substances. Each time he achieved something, he faced such expressions—he was used to it. The real tragedy was that his extraordinary medical skills could never be passed down.

The things he created were destined to remain unknown to the world.

The imperial physician said, "After Young General Lin used the third drop of blood, the reason his condition deteriorated rapidly was because the third drop sealed in his heart was overwhelmingly powerful. His own body couldn't withstand that power. At that point, his own blood became poison rather than medicine. This predicament is extremely difficult to resolve. The only solution is if his innate vitality is strong enough to resist the power of the third drop and fully integrate with it—only then is there a glimmer of hope.

"Later, Young General Lin died, but my research continued... His Majesty and the Lu family still tasked me with using the general’s blood to develop a medicine capable of enhancing his meridian potential to resist the effects of the blood. Fortunately, I succeeded. Now we have results."

Xue Li’s gaze fell upon the crimson pill pinched between Li Weiyan’s fingers.

Her eyes sparkled brightly, and seeing the light dance within them, Li Weiyan burst into laughter.

Li Weiyan was overjoyed, proud of the unspoken understanding (mòqì) he and Lin Ye had shared. Seeing the brightness in Xue Li’s eyes, he felt delighted but deliberately added, "Still, don’t get your hopes up yet. There is only one pill, and the ingredients required are incredibly scarce. Lin Ye’s meridians have been sealed for far too long—this pill can only help his natural vitality resist my blood. The sword wound in his heart remains... If this pill truly works and brings Lin Ye 'back from the dead,' the fatal injury must still be addressed. Afterwards, he may need continuous medication until he fully absorbs the power of that drop of blood."

Xue Li: "Are the ingredients difficult to obtain? I’ll get them."

Li Weiyan: "Too many rare ingredients are required. Here in Southern Zhou, with me present, naturally it isn’t an issue. The challenge lies in some ingredients that must come from Northern Zhou... Over the past year, I've frequently sought ways to procure them for the imperial physician's work. But Northern Zhou has grown suspicious—recently, I can no longer obtain those ingredients. They must fear a resurgence of the 'HeartEater' poison, suspecting that Southern Zhou is plotting against them.

"So Xue Li, Northern and Southern Zhou must unite before Lin Ye can receive the medicine."

Xue Li was as sharp as ice.

No matter how tactfully he phrased it, she understood immediately: "What do you need me to do?"

Li Weiyan: "Northern Zhou and Southern Zhou... must be united through marriage..."

He paused for a moment, then leaned back tiredly, adding resignedly: "I must marry. I must enter Bianjing... And before that, we must join forces to completely eliminate the remaining Huoqiu forces hiding in the shadows."

"Xue Li, you must help us kill someone—Wei Changyin."

--

Golden candlelight flickered as the wind swept past, rustling the curtains along the corridor.

A maid murmured a greeting, and lantern glow danced across the screen. Soft footsteps echoed from a hidden palace passage. In the princess's quarters of the Northern Zhou palace, Princess Ye Liushu sat behind a desk, reading a letter from Southern Zhou.

It was a letter from Emperor Li Weiyan of Southern Zhou—yet another proposal of marriage.

With Northern and Southern Zhou locked in mutual suspicion, if Li Weiyan wished to enter Bianjing, a marriage alliance would be the best solution.

"Has the princess still not decided?" A cultured male voice spoke from behind her. Ye Liushu turned and saw, through the screen, the slender, elegant silhouette of a nobleman.

For the past year, Northern Zhou had avoided a regime change or collapse under public doubt—all because the Guanzhong Zhang clan held the line. Recently, the young emperor had once again been accused of "not being of Li blood," causing unrest both inside and outside the court, all suppressed only by the Zhang clan.

...All because of Zhang Bing.

But this was not sustainable.

Emperor Xuanming had died cleanly, but Li Weiyan had not. The road to peace remained treacherous.

Ye Liushu stepped out from behind the screen and saw Zhang Bing seated with his chin resting on his hand, eyes closed and smiling. He maintained his usual refined gentleness—only on the day he killed Emperor Xuanming had he revealed a trace of ruthless determination. Since then, having taken over power from his father, fatigue now shadowed his features.

Ye Liushu knelt beside him, preparing tea with practiced motions.

Water whispered into the cup, steam curling upward. At some point, Zhang Bing had opened his eyes, gazing at the woman’s slightly bowed, graceful neck, his expression distant.

Ye Liushu spoke softly, "A marriage to Li Weiyan solves everything. For Northern and Southern Zhou to unite, there cannot be two capitals. The officials of Southern Zhou wish to enter Bianjing, while those of Northern Zhou want to control Li Weiyan… So we need a woman who can represent Northern Zhou, marrying Li Weiyan, to ease both courts' fears.

"The Lu family of Southern Zhou is wary of the Zhang clan of Northern Zhou, just as you, my lord, are wary of the Lu woman entering Bianjing."

Zhang Bing replied slowly, "Under Grand Chancellor Lu, the next generation of power should have been his son, Lu Xi, Lu Liangchen. But all reports indicate that the chancellor’s son has no taste for statecraft, while his daughter has grown very close to Emperor Li Weiyan of Southern Zhou, meddling extensively in affairs of state.

"It is said… Li Weiyan is Prince Yu's heir, a distantly related scion of the imperial family. He took Jianye only with the Lu family’s support. Given this, perhaps the one we should guard against is not Lu Liangchen, but Lu Qingmei’s influence over Li Weiyan. We must place a formidable woman by Li Weiyan’s side so that the Northern Zhou court can trust sufficiently to permit them entry into Bianjing."

Ye Liushu asked, "Why must it be me?"

Zhang Bing: "Is the princess unwilling?"

The palace's midnight hush enveloped them. Her skin gleamed like snow, her hair black as a raven's wing. The candlelight flickered soundlessly, and their gazes drifted apart.

Ye Liushu: "The noblewomen of the Zhang clan, with their virtuous character and profound learning, surely far surpass me. My lord could arrange for a Zhang daughter to marry Li Weiyan and become empress—wouldn't that better serve your interests?"

Zhang Bing’s fingers trembled slightly beneath his sleeve. He smiled. "You should know—I mean to preserve your options."

Ye Liushu’s lashes fluttered slightly, but she remained silent.

Zhang Bing: "If a Zhang woman becomes empress… then the princess will have no further value. You climbed from orphaned obscurity to your current position—would you willingly abandon this power? If you are willing, I can certainly arrange a better path for you."

He fixed her with his gaze. "No one would know you, disturb you. You could change your name, marry, bear children, and live a peaceful life. If you desire this, I can guarantee it. I do not go back on my word—you know this well."

Ye Liushu remained silent for a long time.

After another pause, she lifted her eyes again. Her beautiful gaze met his refined and elegant features.

She said, "...Then my lord and I will have no further ties.

"You are an eagle in the sky, the moon among clouds—noble, proud, and ambitious. The unification of Northern and Southern Zhou is the perfect opportunity for you to display your brilliance… You will welcome Emperor Li Weiyan of Southern Zhou into Bianjing, won’t you?"

Zhang Bing smiled. "Princess, the Huoqiu Kingdom in the Western Regions is rising. Why should we not ride this tide?"

Ye Liushu leaned forward slightly, her voice soft. "How can the lord be so sure that I am content with an ordinary life and have no ambitions at all?"

She slowly moved closer on her knees, leaning into him. Candlelight flickered over them, casting swaying shadows on the screen behind—so close their silhouettes nearly merged.

Ye Liushu rested her head on his knee. "If I were to marry Li Weiyan, would you stand behind me and support me? Would the Zhang clan’s power be under my control? Would the lord himself be mine to command?"

Zhang Bing replied, "If you become empress, I shall be your most trusted supporter. The princess will be bound to the Zhang family, together facing the Southern Zhou emperor and the Lu family of Jianye."

Ye Liushu smiled faintly. "Just as Lu Qingmei of the Lu family in Jianye will be Li Weiyan’s most steadfast ally. She will bring the entire Lu clan into this contest against us. Let us see who will dominate the coming court battles—the Zhangs or the Lus."

Her eyes shimmered as she tilted her face up toward Zhang Bing. "With these words from you, I feel reassured. Now I must write to the Southern Zhou emperor..."

Zhang Bing bowed. "Allow me to prepare the ink for the princess."

Ye Liushu said, "The task is not yet accomplished; there's no need for the lord to address me so humbly."

Zhang Bing asked, "What does the princess intend to write?"

"A letter to my betrothed."

In the letter, she wanted to ask: *A marriage intertwined with shared interests and secrets is more secure, don’t you think, Your Majesty?*

--

Indeed, a marriage built upon shared interests and secrets was far more secure.

In the Southern Zhou palace, Lu Qingmei knelt beside the writing desk, meeting Li Weiyan’s indifferent gaze.

He lounged carelessly on the dragon throne, idly spinning a black jade figurine between his fingers. The young emperor lifted his eyes, watching the slender beauty grind ink and take up the brush, drafting letters on his behalf. She would correspond with the Northern Zhou princess and discuss cooperation with the future empress.

Why not have her wed Ye Liushu in his place too?

Li Weiyan mocked, "I’ve heard an emperor’s will is law..."

"Only for an emperor who rules a united realm," Lu Qingmei replied coolly. As he reached from behind to grasp the brush she held, their hands stilled, their breath warm between them. She continued writing. "The Lu family will always support Your Majesty."

Li Weiyan murmured, "...And what of my sister-in-law?"

Lu Qingmei answered steadily, "I will always stand behind Your Majesty, supporting and protecting you."

"Now, the most pressing matter is to check the Huoqiu Kingdom’s rise... and eliminate Wei Changyin."

--

Xue Li had stayed out of the fray for quite some time, but now, for Lin Ye’s sake, she was willing to reenter the fight.

Li Weiyan’s reluctance to enter Bianjing stemmed not only from unacceptable negotiation terms but also from the fact that Wei Changyin still lived. The emperor could not travel far until Wei Changyin was dead—only then could the two states truly unite and point their blades westward.

So Xue Li came to kill Wei Changyin for them.

For a year, Wei Changyin had remained hidden, never showing his face. Now, they spread the rumor that someone sought to resurrect General Lin Ye—a bait Wei Changyin couldn’t resist.

After all, both sides knew that Wei Changyin’s schemes had been repeatedly foiled by Lin Ye over the years. Both were generals—both master tacticians. In this world, no one loathed and dreaded Lin Ye’s return more than Wei Changyin.

Following their plan, Xue Li infiltrated the caves outside the Luoyang palace once again. She skirmished with Northern Zhou troops, though both sides pulled their blows deliberately, allowing Xue Li to escape with Lin Ye.

Once before, Xue Li had sealed the Luo River, freezing Lin Ye’s remains in ice. Now, she lay prone on the frozen surface, channeling her inner energy to melt the ice. From icy, debris-choked water, she pulled Lin Ye into her arms.

Cold as death, he slumped against her shoulder, preserved yet pale, his eyes closed.

She held him tightly, feeding him the pill Li Weiyan had given her.

She waited. Nothing stirred. Her hope dwindled, but she remained resolute. She had already decided—whether A Ye could return or not, she would take him away from here. They had promised to roam the jianghu together, and she would keep that promise.

The footsteps outside the cave grew closer. She gripped the soaked youth’s shoulders, sprang up, and dashed toward the Northern Zhou troops pouring into the cave. These soldiers weren’t truly there to stop her—her goal was only to take Lin Ye away and lure out Wei Changyin. She would lead Wei Changyin and those Huoqiu stragglers to the ambush prepared by the Southern and Northern Zhou forces, wiping them all out in one fell swoop.

Horses stood ready outside the cave. In the midst of the fight, Xue Li leaped onto a chestnut steed with Lin Ye in her arms.

Hooves sprayed snow as the long night stretched dark and silent, the cold, stiff boy clinging tightly behind her. Xue Li felt only lightness: “A Ye, we’re leaving—”

—If only she had ridden faster that night, could she have saved A Ye?

Faster, horse, faster! Faster, horse, faster! Take us away from here.

The night devoured them like a beast as Xue Li urged the horse onward, tightening her legs around its belly, speeding faster and faster. She almost forgot this was a ruse. When the first snowflake landed on her nose, she thought of that night when stars fell like rain.

She would take Lin Ye away.

Whether they lived or died, she would ride to the ends of the earth, to a place where only the two of them existed.

--

Behind her, the clamor of bows and horses grew. Xue Li was an expert rider, but her thoughts blurred tonight with that last night a year ago.

But it didn’t matter. It was nothing.

Snow fell lightly, not yet covering the ground. There was still time for battle. Then, mid-strategy, Xue Li suddenly heard a roar: “Snow Girl—”

She pulled hard on the reins, bringing her horse to a stop, and looked up toward the voice—

She saw Wei Changyin.

In the ink-black night, before she could lead the bait to the ambush, Wei Changyin had appeared. Oddly, the Huoqiu soldiers who had fled with him were nowhere in sight—only Wei Changyin stood alone on the hillside. His cold gaze swept over the horses on the plain and the two riders.

This was Wei Changyin, unseen for a year.

Wei Changyin shouted, “Did you think I wouldn’t see through your ploy? Did you think I’d fall for it? Snow Girl, if you want to kill me, come and do it yourself!”

With that, he wheeled his horse and fled.

Xue Li paused only a heartbeat before pursuing.

All these schemes had started with Wei Changyin. She could not let him live.

The boy behind her was stiff and cold, no different from a corpse. Only the snowfall thickened. Xue Li didn’t know if the pill had worked—perhaps everything now was just her hallucination.

Perhaps she was still in the thieves’ lair, drugged into believing she could kill Wei Changyin and save Lin Ye.

Even if it was all a delusion, she’d press on without pause.

--

“Clang—”

On the frozen Luo River, the ice splintered as the horse skittered nervously, torn between bolting and standing by its master, stomping anxiously in place.

The river had frozen solid here. Xue Li’s "Questioning Snow" clashed with Wei Changyin’s broadsword. His stubbled face and brutal scars made him a stranger—unrecognizable from the composed Huoqiu general of a year ago.

He’d become ruthless, brutal, and reckless.

He had dared to face Xue Li alone.

After a few exchanges, both knew the other’s martial skill—Wei Changyin was no match for Xue Li. When she struck him down again, sending him sprawling onto the ice, he laughed wildly. “Snow Girl, did you really think I came to fight you? Even Bai Li couldn’t defeat you—did you think I’d lost my mind?”

His eyes flicked to the snow, then darted sideways as he suddenly lunged away.

Wei Changyin sneered, “A Snow Girl with senses keener than most—didn’t you catch a whiff?”

Xue Li's nose twitched. Only upon his deliberate reminder did she catch the scent of fire oil on her own body. Of course—during their close combat, Wei Changyin must have smeared fire oil on himself, and in the struggle, it had transferred to her.

Wei Changyin laughed maniacally.

"I will never fail... I will never let you leave this place alive! If we die, we die together—the glorious White King shall never be shamed because of me—"

He charged at Xue Li again, closing the distance. As she darted aside, her face twisted—Wei Changyin had feinted, abruptly changing direction mid-charge. His true target was the two horses standing on the ice.

One horse was his; the other carried motionless Lin Ye.

Throughout their battle, the two horses had remained close, their breath mingling... Xue Li paled.

She realized that the horses too were drenched in fire oil—her own steed had been tainted by Wei Changyin’s. He meant to kill her, but Lin Ye was her weakness. The one Wei Changyin truly wanted dead was Lin Ye...

Burning through her qi in a burst, Xue Li streaked like a shadow from behind, rushing toward Wei Changyin.

Wei Changyin paid no heed to the sharp blade at his back. Laughing wildly, he shattered his blade, gripping both broken halves. He flooded them with his qi. Xue Li's eyes widened in horror as she watched him hurl the blades—their crossed paths midair sparked a wisp of fire.

That spark was about to ignite the horses!

Xue Li: "A Ye—!"

Wei Changyin: "Let us die together—!"

In that split second, a hand shot out from atop the horse, snatching one of the spinning blades midair while deflecting the other.

--

Time seemed to freeze.

Snow froze midair.

In the frigid night, the deflected blade clattered onto the ice. Wei Changyin howled in fury, lunging forward. The moment that hand caught the blade, both Wei Changyin and Xue Li's hearts seized.

Time resumed.

Snowflakes drifted once more.

Under the vast sky, Lin Ye rolled off the horse, his bandages fluttering as he croaked, laughing: "A Xue—"

Xue Li leapt!

Like twin bows drawn, the two arced through the night, poised to strike.

The night flashed with stars as Wei Changyin was caught between them. *Snow Inquiry* pierced his heart from behind just as the broken blade sliced his throat from the front.

In the distance, the armies of Northern Zhou and the remnants of Huoqiu’s forces finally arrived at the scene.

Wei Changyin stood rigid, staring at Lin Ye before him, then turned unwillingly to Xue Li behind him.

"Once, twice... but never a third time. Wei Changyin, Wu Eryin, Huoqiu’s cur—die screaming—"

Torches flickered in the endless night, snow stretching for miles, the icefield silent.

As Wei Changyin collapsed, Xue Li lifted her head calmly.

Snow swallowed them both.

The blade in Xue Li's hand still dripped blood, the corpse at her feet not yet cold. Across from her, Lin Ye held her rapt. She clutched the blade, shaking in the storm, doubting if this was still an illusion.

His eyes were hidden in the snowfall—she couldn't discern his expression, only the heat of his stare upon her.

When she looked at him, had he been watching her all this time?

A fleeting moment stretched into eternity as the vast snow swirled, pure and glistening, piercing through the night's haze, stretching between the two of them. The young man standing on the frozen plain stood in the snow mist, his eyes slightly red, struggling to offer a smile—

"A Xue, I've been waiting for you."

I waited for you to turn back, for you to awaken, for you to love me, for you to remember me, for you... to take me away.

At this very moment, Xue Li's peacock prince had finally returned.