Chapter 145

Chapter 145

Within the rebel army, the Secret Faction turned against their own, and of the nearly 50,000 rebels in Liangzhou, half directly defected. It wasn’t just the rebels outside Liangzhou City, but also those trapped in the deep mountains; both battlefields saw betrayal. The first to suffer were the Liangzhou Army. The Liangzhou rebels never expected that what would shatter the vast army gathering in Liangzhou was not the chaotic battle horn, but blades turned against them by their own.

As the blood of those beside them splattered, an old Liangzhou soldier exclaimed in shock, "Have you lost your minds!"

The Secret Faction rebels roared back, "You're the ones who have lost your minds, willing to listen to the court's sophistry!"

A bloody battle erupted outside Liangzhou City.

The Imperial Army had long been wary of the Secret Faction, so the moment the rebels outside Liangzhou turned, the Imperial Army, always on guard, acted immediately.

The Liangzhou rebels, supporting their wounded comrades, saw the Imperial Army charging ahead of them. Though both sides had roughly equal numbers and this was an internal conflict among the Liangzhou Army, the Imperial Army did not stand idle—they took the initiative to break the siege.

The banner of Dayuan cut through the gaps in the battlefield. When the old generals of Liangzhou came to their senses, the Imperial Army had used the city wall as a barrier, separating them from the Secret Faction rebels. This move gave the Liangzhou soldiers a path of retreat.

The generals, coming to their senses, led their troops to withdraw beneath the city wall, away from the center of the battle.

The battle of Liangzhou City lasted a full day and night, from dusk to dawn, and then until twilight touched the horizon.

The Imperial Army won a great victory. The remnants of the Secret Faction fled hastily southward.

But for the Imperial Army, this was only the beginning of reclaiming Liangzhou. Apart from the defected Secret Faction and the rebels who had been killed or wounded, over ten thousand rebels remained within Liangzhou City. Some were commoners from Western Shu stirred into uprising, others were garrison troops from Western Shu who had joined the rebellion, and their leaders were all old Liangzhou generals.

After the chaos of war, fewer than fifty of Liangzhou’s old soldiers remained.

The Imperial Army did not rush to negotiate surrender. The events of these years could not be explained in a single day, and some hatreds could not be easily set aside. Some rebels stayed within the city, others camped outside. Their generals went daily to the Imperial Army’s camp. Wu Lao, an elder of Liangzhou, hobbled around on his cane these days, personally explaining matters.

Within Liangzhou City, undercurrents still surged.

The Imperial Army did not relax their vigilance against the Secret Faction. Instead, they arrested all those who had close dealings with Pei Yi and Fei Xun, throwing them into Liangzhou’s great prison. One by one, they uprooted several hidden assassin stashes within the city.

Just as the Imperial Army was turning the city upside down searching for the Secret Faction, in a mountain area of southern Western Shu, Concubine Xian, haggard, was helped off her horse, coughing uncontrollably. Unable to brew medicine in the wilderness, she could only take a few pills to suppress the cough. She ordered the other assassins to scout the surroundings, then looked at the young man sitting by a fire not far away.

"Master Zhou, thank you for your help in Liangzhou," Concubine Xian said.

Zhou Qingyuan looked up. "You’re too kind, madam. Saving you is merely an act of allegiance."

"Master Zhou’s skills are remarkable. I look forward to future cooperation," she said, sitting down beside him to treat her wounds. This time, the Crown Prince of Dayuan had outmaneuvered them. Fei Xun’s plan had been exploited, causing the Liangzhou Army to spiral out of control—unexpected. If Zhou Qingyuan hadn’t urged her to leave before the incident, she would now be in the Imperial Army’s hands, just like Fei Xun.

"Having lost General Pei and Master Fei, don’t you regret it?" Zhou Qingyuan asked, noticing her lack of sorrow.

Concubine Xian smiled but said nothing.

Zhou Qingyuan pressed further, "Pei Yi turned against the Pei Family Army in Youzhou City, killing them all. When you appointed him as the Garrison General of Liangzhou, weren’t you afraid he might defect to the court? If he were to speak too much before the Imperial Army..."

At the mention of Pei Yi, she paused briefly, then spoke calmly.

"During the Western Shu campaign, before the Imperial Army trampled the Yin Dynasty’s prefectures and drove out the Northern Barbarians, there was first a civil war." Concubine Xian gazed expressionlessly at the campfire before her, surrounded by assassins watching over her. She tossed the cloth she had used to clean her wounds into the flames. "Back then, it was the Princess Consort who saved him and later sent him into the Prince of Pingnan’s military camp."

"Sounds moving, but it was the Liangzhou military camp of that time that killed his parents." She gave a faint smile. "Biding his time in the camp of his enemies, his goal was far more than just wiping out the Pei and Qi families... Over the years, the operations of various garrisons in Western Shu prefectures—many were his handiwork."

Pei Yi’s parents were from a prefecture in Western Shu during the previous dynasty.

No wonder, amid the devastation of war, Pei Yi could humble himself to the point of serving in Youzhou City.

Zhou Qingyuan listened quietly. "Then General Pei has accomplished quite a few things."

"The best kind of pawn is one that can be used at any time and discarded at any time." Concubine Xian stood, and the assassins around her followed suit. "Pei Yi was a chess piece placed from the northern border into Western Shu. When the time came, this piece had to be destroyed, or it would ruin the grand scheme. It’s a pity we lost Fei Xun along with him."

"Master Zhou, please," said an assassin.

Zhou Qingyuan nodded slightly. He watched Concubine Xian board the carriage, his gaze brushing over the campfire that had been thoroughly extinguished. He hid the depth in his eyes, then looked out into the endless night.

Turning, he looked back—Liangzhou City had completely vanished.

In a corner unseen by the assassins of the previous dynasty, a small medicinal stone rolled from his sleeve into the underbrush, disappearing without a trace.

"Let’s go."

...

Inside the Imperial Army’s camp west of Liangzhou City, people came and went. The tent was filled with the scent of medicinal herbs.

"We searched all of Liangzhou City but couldn’t find the lady the Liangzhou Army spoke of," Ye Xuanqi reported to the man before him. A low table was set on the couch, where the Crown Prince sat, reviewing an urgent report on grain supplies. "Based on the portrait, it’s almost certainly Concubine Xian, who fled in secret."

Ying Fusheng paused upon hearing this result, then said, "I understand."

Ye Xuanqi hesitated, seeing no change in the Crown Prince’s expression. "Master Weng and the other civil officials will arrive in two days to take over matters in Liangzhou."

"Please rest more."

They had come from Youzhou in haste, and Ying Fusheng had almost no attendants. These past days, when counting accounts and checking household registers, he had to use soldiers from the Imperial Army, who were not skilled at the task. In the end, Ye Xuanjiu had to bring some people over. The personal guards who had long served Qi Hanzhou were all elites from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and only they could sort out the mess in Liangzhou.

Ye Xuanqi finished his report and left, instructing someone, "Skip the medicine tonight; His Highness can’t sleep well after taking it."

The guard understood and went to tell Miss Chen to prepare a milder sedative.

The footsteps outside the tent faded. Ying Fusheng came back to himself. The itch in his throat could no longer be suppressed, and he coughed softly.

He touched his forehead—it felt slightly warm. An acupuncture kit lay within arm’s reach, but he only glanced at it, not moving to use it. Instead, he lowered his head and continued reviewing the piles of documents and records on the table.

Every detail revealed the chronic ills of Western Shu over these years. This could not be sorted out in mere months. After the war in Western Shu ended, how to arrange for the people and the soldiers would determine the livelihood of Dayuan in the years to come.

Along with the letter from Empress Xu, another item had been enclosed.

A small, black jade stone, with a character carved on its back, like a chess piece awaiting activation.

Inside the tent, a falcon perched on a stand, tilting its head to look at him.

Ying Fusheng put the jade away again, a deep look in his eyes.

The Empress’s letter mentioned only one person: the Princess Consort of Pingnan. The Princess Consort had met the Prince of Pingnan in times of chaos. Then, the previous dynasty’s government was corrupt, and the Northern Barbarians invaded... The Princess Consort was an orphan of that chaotic era. She once saved the Prince of Pingnan’s life, and later lived with him in mutual devotion until her illness claimed her.

But in those chaotic times, household registration, identity, even origins were untraceable. The Princess Consort’s identity was a mystery. Even the court’s records on the Prince of Pingnan’s mansion only praised her. The Prince of Pingnan had fought the realm with the late emperor, surrounded by loyal generals. To seize power from him and hollow out the Prince of Pingnan’s mansion, every link in the chain was crucial.

The Princess Consort died thirteen years ago. After that, the Prince of Pingnan’s health gradually deteriorated until he fell gravely ill.

His decline began after the Princess Consort’s death. In Youzhou City, the Prince of Pingnan’s Heir was too young to orchestrate such a vast scheme... It seemed the authority of the Secret Faction had been passed from the Princess Consort to the Prince of Pingnan’s Heir.

Ying Fusheng gazed at the documents, countless thoughts flickering beneath his lowered eyes.

The night was still.

Outside the tent, Qi Hanzhou lifted the curtain and entered, immediately met by the bitter scent of medicine. These days, all the generals and soldiers were busy cleaning up the battlefield and settling the Liangzhou rebels... Ying Fusheng had also not rested. The two had barely seen each other. When Qi Hanzhou was in the command tent, Ying Fusheng was dealing with the aftermath.

The commoners, the rebels—endless problems awaited them.

From the start of the war in Western Shu, he hadn't had a proper rest.

No matter how extraordinary Chen Xuqiu and Wu Lao were, sustained mental strain would drain their vitality, especially since his body was already weak.

He didn't even notice when Qi Hanzhou entered; his eyes never left the documents on the table. Qi Hanzhou approached quietly, and when he reached the desk, Ying Fusheng didn't look up, simply saying, "Leave the medicine aside. I'll drink it in a moment."

After saying this, Ying Fusheng realized the figure before him hadn't moved, so he looked up. Qi Hanzhou stood in front of him, having shed his armor, wearing only a dark inner garment. He set down a bowl of calming herbal soup. "It's already the Hai hour (9 PM)."

Inside the tent, night and day blurred together; sometimes Ying Fusheng would sit down and lose track of time. He picked up the medicine bowl and continued, "The townspeople are not to gather; Liangzhou is a strategic location. I'll have the imperial troops lead the people to northern Western Shu. The other prefectures are all prepared to receive refugees..." As he spoke, he suddenly noticed the person beside him was silent.

Ying Fusheng looked at him curiously. Qi Hanzhou had already reached out.

The stray hairs at his forehead were brushed aside, and a cool palm pressed against his brow, easing the growing heat. Ying Fusheng's hand holding the bowl paused. Liangzhou was near the mountains, and the nights were cold; Qi Hanzhou must have just returned from outside, still carrying a faint chill. Yet that coolness gradually dispelled the heat from Ying Fusheng's body.

"Don't take your hand away," Ying Fusheng said. "It helps clear my mind."

Qi Hanzhou knew he was sensitive to cold. "Some things can't be rushed. You need rest."

"The Secret Faction could strike again at any moment. Most of these people in Liangzhou were forced into rebellion; only a few truly belong to the Secret Faction. From what the old general said, the Prince of Pingnan's true army is in the south, and those men are likely beyond persuasion. That's the Secret Faction's real military strength."

Ying Fusheng could only speed up, moving the innocent to safety. They both knew that the true Secret Faction had long lost all trust in the court. When interrogated, the captured Secret Faction rebels couldn't tell right from wrong; in their eyes, it was all a court conspiracy.

Over the past twenty years, the Prince of Pingnan's household had raised precisely such people—those bitterly hostile to the court, almost solely bent on revenge. The hatred instilled in them had completely destroyed their ability to discern. Such an army, when cornered, was capable of anything.

"You should prioritize your health," Qi Hanzhou said, releasing his hand and taking the empty bowl from Ying Fusheng.

Ying Fusheng shook his head. "If no one does something about it, who will know that after all these years, someone still cares?"

Qi Hanzhou paused in his movement, but Ying Fusheng continued, "Xuan Jiu told me that these days, you go to Nanshan every day. You've stationed heavy troops at the Liangzhou River, and the rebel forces moving in and out of the city are all secretly watched by the imperial army."

It seemed that every step was taken to prevent a repeat of what happened in Youzhou City.

Liangzhou City appeared calm, but every hidden danger kept them both on edge. Qi Hanzhou had investigated the Youzhou incident for years; the day it happened must have played through his mind countless times. Hatred—Ying Fusheng understood it better than anyone. From the moment he opened his eyes in this second life, every step he had taken was like walking on thin ice.

Those days, in his previous life, Qi Hanzhou had walked alone for years, meeting a bitter end.

"The Liangzhou Army was once a comrade of the Qi family," Qi Hanzhou said after a long silence. "If the southern border cannot be held, the Qi family will campaign southward."

The Secret Faction's move to send Pei Yi south had not only destroyed Youzhou City but also shaken one thing: the trust of the old generals of Western Shu in the Qi family. In the early years, the Qi family and the Liangzhou Army had fought together; some trust was bone-deep. If the Secret Faction launched an uprising through Western Shu, the Liangzhou Army's distrust of the Qi family could become a convenient pawn, and when necessary, a blade to turn on them.

Former comrades in the same camp ultimately turned against each other.

Ying Fusheng took Qi Hanzhou's hand and led him to the couch. As Qi Hanzhou paused, Ying Fusheng's hand gently rested on his forehead, just as he had done countless times before. His hand was warm, and his sleeve smelled of herbs and ink.

"When I get headaches, I love it when you touch me like this," Ying Fusheng said, pressing his hand there, unsure if he was seeking comfort from the coolness or trying to warm him. "Does this make you feel better?"

Qi Hanzhou closed his eyes and could recall his childhood in Youzhou City. The Pei Family Army trained from dawn till dusk, and their camp was always filled with laughter and lively conversation. A young commander, doting old soldiers, nonstop chatter in the tent. Even when he accidentally wandered into the camp, he would be picked up by the older uncles and affectionately called a little wolf cub.

In the end, his senior brother had saved him and taken him to ride horses across the vast northern deserts, showing him the borders of Dayuan—a line built by countless people.

Qi Hanzhou had carried the memory of Youzhou City for every year since it happened.

In the beginning, nightmares plagued him, leaving him unable to sleep peacefully. But after a few years, when he could no longer dream of the people of Youzhou, he began to miss those nightmares. Only in dreams could he see every face from Youzhou clearly.

Many in the northern border lived with the hatred of Youzhou City, but in the countless court records, it was just a cold case. If no one revisited it, it would be just a few lines in future history books.

After so many years, someone finally said they cared.

That care felt like silent affirmation, like at the end of a long road someone was still waiting.

Qi Hanzhou suddenly reached out and pulled the man into his arms. The sudden force caught Ying Fusheng off guard. He could feel the strength in Qi Hanzhou's arms, as if he were trying to press him into his very bones, holding him so tightly that they might never be separated.

Qi Hanzhou was always restrained, calm.

He had never been like this before, breaking his usual restraint.

"Qi Hanzhou, what kind of place was Youzhou City?" Ying Fusheng asked, held in his arms. The man's clean, wild scent was like the untamed freedom of the mountains. "I've never been to the northern deserts."

Dayuan was vast, and Ying Fusheng longed to see boundless freedom—a wide world without war.

"A wonderful place."

Qi Hanzhou pressed his lips against Ying Fusheng's neck. "When the war ends, I'll take you there."

Ying Fusheng tilted his head up slightly, and a soft touch came down.

Someone cupped his face, fingertip brushing gently over his cheek, grazing his ear.

A sudden tingling sensation surged through him. Ying Fusheng's eyes widened slightly. The cool, soft sensation of another person had never been this close before. That lingering scent of years seemed to cross all previous boundaries, flowing into him through the kiss, filling his senses with a familiar, joyful thrill that stirred them both.

This scent had accompanied Ying Fusheng for a long time, from his past life to this one.

It was as if they had long become each other's solace. Ying Fusheng didn't fully understand romantic love, but at this moment, the only thought in his mind was that this man could only belong to him.

No matter what life brought afterward, Qi Hanzhou would stay by his side.