In the beginning of Eighth month, the gliding corps struck again, this time falling right into Yujien’s plan. Just after they burned down two provision carts, an ambush shouted in from the sides. A team of thirty or forty gliding units could not escape in time and was caught right-handed. Yan Feiyu rushed away with the remaining men several li and halted his steed for a look. Lio Whu roped the captives together and drenched them full of fire grease, and held high a burning torch, shouting out a laugh, “Commander Yan, long trip ahead, how about letting this humble one light the way for you?

Yan Feiyu, narrow-shouldered and slender-waisted, wore a hairpined helmet with his face covered tight and full, only revealing two eyes. When he saw his subordinates falling as captives, showed obvious signs of disquiet, and whirled his steed in place two rounds, stomped his foot and spun back the horse’s head, speeding into the campgrounds.

“Ready the bows,” Lio Whu commanded with a broad smile.

Unexpectedly, Yan Feiyu charged before the battalion grounds and ducked his body, dabbed his feet on the ground and shot out, and leveraging the force, shook open the eagle wings on his back; the two wings widespread, soared into the sky like an eagle, swiftly tracing out a hoof-like arc, made a round across the crowd of heads and returned onto the horseback. Between now and then, no one saw clearly how he actually moved.

The Alliance army watched it with shock and amusement. He didn’t save anyone nor surrender; what was the trouble for?

“…Such a commander, such a cruel heart!” Lio Whu laughed.

With a shrill cry, a snake-like fire shot up on the thirty or forty captives’ backs; evidently someone had brushed across their backs with a torch. The eagle-feathered cloaks ignited instantly with heat and burned into ash.

Qu Fongning arrived at the last moment and witnessed this ruthless hand, and felt a chill in his heart. “If I was in his place, in this haste, I probably couldn’t think of a better idea. What’s more, he has the advantage of flying wings, and can glide across tens of thousands of men and horses as if on flat ground. If it were me…” His throat rolled, and cold sweat sprouted on his back.

Yujien arrived after and watched Yan Feiyu’s figure disappearing into the haze. He sneered and held up the crescent moon like, plain, pitch-black longbow, notched an arrow and pulled the string. Just as he drew to the width of an arm, his gaze shifted and said. “So, it’s like this.” Then the bowstrings suddenly relaxed, and his arm came down.

Qu Fongning had followed him to battle for more than a year, and never saw him show mercy in his hand. For a moment, he was too shocked to ask. Several days later, after the two sides had a decisive battle at the Chen Sign Flying Dragon Gorge, Yan Feiyu repeated the old trick, cutting into the Alliance left lane on wings, hacking off the arm of one of Badama’s old commanders, and glided away. The topography was precipitous, with crisscrossing boulder forests on the two sides, like two flying dragons in a battle. The paths were hazardous and narrow, and the ground was covered with thrusting stalagmites. A single misstep could be a fatal landing with an impaled heart. Yan Feiyu moved curiously fast, and in an instant, already stepped across ether beyond the reach of the Alliance arrows. Qu Fongning prompted his steed into a rapid chase, saw him spreading his swings with his body already half-way in the air. And without a second thought, he rushed Wind Chaser with a cry: “Rise!” Wind Chaser splayed its four hooves, the snowy phantom glistening, and soared across in pursuit. Qu Fongning rose above the saddle and let out an arrow in mid-air, hitting right on Yan Feiyu’s head.

The accuracy of his shot was so astounding, despite Yan Feiyu’s swift reaction, he could only make a slight shift to avoid the arrow from impaling his head. They heard a metallic ring. Qu Fongning had shot off his hairpin helmet, which with the undiminished force, tumbled away in clangs for two, three zhang.

The arrow already left his hand, Qu Fongning had nowhere to exert his bodily force and dropped precipitously into the stone valley. And he heard a hasty cry from across the chasm, a crisp guttural sound, like a woman’s voice.

Curious, he spun a flip and looked across the chasm, and was taken aback

Where Yan Feiyu’s helmet was, emerged a cloud of flowing hair. Though the face was undefinable, he vaguely made out pale skin and comely eyes and brows. How was this a macho man? This was a woman of valor.

In his shock, he instantly understood. Though Yujien Tianhung had incalculable human lives on his hand, he never killed women or children. Since he knew Yan Feiyu was a woman, he would never raise his hand.

Before his reflections finished, a long and a short arrow already arrived by his side. The short one with a dark force was the work of the Old Fox; the long one, heavy with black fletching, approached slower with a turning momentum. At that moment, his foot tapped on the shorter arrow, and his body had already tagged on the longer arrow. And in the eyes of tens of thousands, the long arrow made an abrupt turn and nailed into the stone cliff. Qu Fongning leaped up from the remaining half of the arrow, extended his left hand and grabbed onto a protruding rock, and with one swing after another, climbed up the cliffs.

Lio Whu let out a tsk and directed a smile to Yujien. “Captain Qu truly only has a heart for you, not even willing to touch this humble one’s arrow,” he remarked.

Yujien made no comment and instructed the side. “Go cover him.”

And swifter than words, Yan Feiyu already pushed aside her hair, snatched a heavy bow and let out several consecutive shots at Qu Fongning. Sensing the sounds of wind, Qu Fongning immediately pulled out Watering Chill from his boot shaft, and hanging on the rock cliff with one hand, whirled back for a swing, and struck off the arrows flying towards his back one by one.

One plan down, Yan Feiyu forthwith ordered to her back, “Fire the cannons.”

“This woman’s got such a venomous heart!” Qu Fongning cursed in his head. Employing hands and feet, he climbed faster. Ghost Army soldiers already let down halberds, horsewhips, and ropes by the chasm. Gerrgu was all the more burning with anxiety and even pulled off his belt.

Yet the cannoneers on the other side were obviously faster, and in the blink of an eye, completed their loading. Yan Feiyu took charge with her own hands, lighting the fuse and taking the aim, and fired out a blast towards Qu Fongning’s direction.

Qu Fongning smelled sulfur, silently cried “No good,” and strove his all for an upwards leap, but fell just a few zhang short of the nearest rope.

The caliber of the stone cannon wasn’t big, but the long and slender cannon barrel was distinctly powerful for long range attack; a single blast was enough to destroy city barbicans. Although it wasn’t as good as Little Ting’yu modified metal-armed trebuchets, its might was not to be underestimated.

“Oulala, Captain Qu is in danger this time,” said Lio Whu with a feigned surprise.

“Not quite,” Yujien replied mildly. The hand holding the lance dropped faintly, and Flowing Fire’s brilliance suddenly bloomed. The fiery tongues poured continuously like the snarl of a savage beast as if ready to devour any man.

The smile on Lio Whu’s face suddenly froze. “Is he attempting to strike down a cannon ball with… bodily flesh?” he thought.

And truly, he saw Yujien’s right hand drawing a slant to a swing of his arm, and launched the lance streaming with light towards the stone cannon in mid-air.

Qu Fongning felt the heat above his head. Before he could turn his head, a deafening explosion came from his back. Shattered rocks, black smoke, dust clouds, and fiery light rose in plumes, blasting open a trapezoidal black cloud covering a circumference of several li, and blocked away both sides’ visions.

From the black cloud, a blood red lance broke through the smoke and landed precisely back into Yujien’s palm. And at the same time, a white phantom leaped out of the black clouds; it was indeed the Ghost Army Thousand Slain’s mount, the Dawan god steed, Wind Chaser.

Before the explosion, Qu Fongning had already grabbed onto a rope and kicked himself up. He dusted off the black ash off his body, drowning in the buzzing pain in his ears.

Yan Feiyu was too young to have much acquaintance with this famous Ghost Sovereign. She saw him single-handedly destroy the cannonball and stood dumbfounded by the artillery, her high slender eyes full of disbelief. As the black clouds dissipated, she bit her lips fiercely and threw her face full of hair to the back, jerked up a stone cannon and thrusted it into the artillery.

Hereat came the rumble of wheels and the clear rise and fall of army boots. Ten thousand sharply dressed and brightly armored Za’yii Imperial troops came in assembled lines. Daishüban rode high under an opulent hood, intermittently murmuring quiet whispers to someone in an adjacent blue-crowned carriage.

As soon as Badama saw this carriage, his whole soul was taken away. His eyes stared transfixed on the gold-trimmed curtains and could move no more.

The crowd knew the one in the car was thus Badama’s last wife, and Daishüban’s new favorite. The hearts filled with anticipation, and none were not craning their necks and standing on their toes, wanting to glimpse this demonic femme, of having what sort of provocatively beautiful appearance.

And it was heard from the one in the car, “Yanyan, you are not their match, hereby retreat!”

Yan Feiyu was clearly tremendously respectful towards her. She answered with a bow of her head, shot a begrudging glare at the opponent’s side, picked up the helmet from the ground, and receded to the side of the carriage.

A mixed-metal horsewhip rocking lightly in his palm, Lio Whu’s eyes squinted somewhat, and he turned with a smile to Yujien. “This femme’s got both a stunning look and the ability to command a thousand troops; can be said to be resourcefulness at its best, uncompromising both looks and talent!”

Yujien mildly swept him a glance. “General Lio Whu’s meticulous to the hair, has even found out whether the neighboring king’s royal consort is stunning or not,” he said with a vague smile.

Lio Whu returned a thin smile. “This humble one’s other ability might not be so good, but I’d never forget beauty. Let alone the various royal consorts or princesses, even Captain Qu of your honored forces, this humble one has remembered our brief acquaintance many years ago in Yong’ching until now.”

Yujien’s gaze danced faintly, and he cracked a smile. “It looks like General Lio Whu’s brilliant eyes are a rare gem. Later on, when my humble country is building golden vaults and jade palaces and goes trawling for curios and treasures, I must not forget.”

“I’ve heard of ones convicted because of their words, I never imagined causing troubles because of one’s eyes. The Lord Ghost Sovereign’s love for his dear son is truly insuperable for the common people,” exclaimed Lio Whu. And he turned suddenly towards Qu Fongning, speaking solicitously, “Captain Qu, your leg all right?”

Qu Fongning’s left thigh had been slashed by the sharp edge of a shattered rock, and had a long wound cutting deep and ebbing blood. Just now, with the adrenaline, he didn’t notice the pain. As soon as he stood still, he only felt the pain of his entire leg drilling to his heart, and nearly couldn’t stand right. Uighshön hastened to lower his body to allow him to hold his shoulder.

Yujien peered at a glance and looked no more, and commanded the Engineering Corp towards Chasm Left to construct bridges and pave roads. Lio Whu’s gaze swept from him to Qu Fongning’s face, the corner of his lips drew a check, and his eyes seemed to sink into deep meditation.

While the undercurrents simmered over here, Badama didn’t take any into his eyes. He stupidly watched the car, then his face suddenly showed spleen. He charged his horse out several paces and abruptly halted by the chasm edge, his jaws bit solid tight, obviously trying to stifle his fury.

Daishüban directed a look from the opulent canopy at the Alliance Army behind his back, and gave a chuckle. “Little Brother Prince, you’ve come at last.”

“Why? Don’t want to see me? For thirty years, every time I return with the troops, haven’t you always welcomed me with open arms? My dearest big brother!” replied Badama, coldly. The last few words he bit with such crackling strength, nearly unable to control himself.

“Brother Prince,” said Daishüban, giving a light sign; “for a personal feud, you dare to use your sworn enemy’s forces against your own people. Ask your own heart, doesn’t it trouble your conscience?”

Badama let out a harrowing laugh, his voice having no laughter whatsoever, “I’ve served as a younger brother, a subject, and have never ever overstepped; and you, the monarch, the older brother, covets my beloved wife’s beauty, and goes so far as to cast aside civilized ethics and seize with force! Why don’t you ask your heart whether you can ease your conscience?”

Daishüban snorted. “You’re committing treason, collaborating with opposing nations, a most heinous crime! As a subject, you are to be killed without appeal; As a younger brother, you are to be removed without pity. Boonchare, fire!”

A thick-limbed, muddled-looking, large-eared, red clad archer answered and opened a bow. The arrow, like a flash of lighting hissing a shrill, already came shooting at Badama.

Badama stood by the chasm with no blockade. In that instant, he was put off guard and swung out his halberd, but the arrow only shifted by a slight. A shot of blood. His left upper arm had been impaled.

A gasp arose from the carriage on the other side. The golden-trimmed curtain trembled faintly, as if the one in the car wanted to steal a glance, but the movement ceased as it began. A voice full of concern rang from the veil of the curtain: “You… are you alright?”

This voice whirled silkily sweet; compared to the last command to Yan Feiyu, it was completely unlike the same person. The outer ring of soldiers drank it in with their ears, their heart stirring a wave.

Badama, face full of anguish, his right hand held tight to the wound on his left arm, blood seeping between the finger cracks. “King Brother, you… you take such cruel measures!” he cried in pain, and turned towards the carriage with a low call: “Chuchu, don’t you worry! I’ll come get you soon!”

The curtain shook again, and there came a tender and beautiful sign. “No, it won’t do. He is the monarch, you are the subject, you… how can you rebel against him? And now my flesh is already… why do you bother to come?”

Her sign trembled so gently, like a wounded white dove, and like a baby lamb, timid and innocent, inducing one unable to stop their hot blood surging up, wanting to step forward and use their own chest to guard her against wind and storm. The younger soldiers already had their necks swollen red.

Qu Fongning didn’t hear her order during the explosion. At this moment, when he heard her voice, it was as if whiplash crackled in his heart. “This lady’s voice sounds so familiar, I must’ve heard it somewhere before.” His head was in a mush, for a moment he couldn’t recall it back up.

Daishüban appeared displeased. “Beloved consort, do not speak to this traitor,” he impeded.

The muscles on Badama’s face jerked violently, and suddenly he channeled his strength and backhandedly pulled out the spear shaft on his shoulder. His bodyguards rushed forth to help him bandage. But Badama, eyes scarlet red, rose the trident towards the opulent canopy and howled in a raspy cry, “Uygherban! You’ve committed such an inhuman offense, you do not deserve to be my elder brother, nor deserve to be my monarch! Our past sentiments are hereby severed once and for all!” A clack, he snapped the bloody spear shaft in two.

Hemei Chuchu drooped her head behind the curtain. “You… Why are you doing this to yourself? I’m the most unfortunate and ominous woman under heaven, why would you do that for me… Aye, it’s best if we don’t meet anymore!” she spoke delicately.

When Qu Fongning heard the last sentence, his heart suddenly started thumping wildly, the soles of his feet felt weak, his palm sprouted sweat. And in his head, a voice speaking ceaselessly to himself: “It can’t be, it can’t be such a coincidence. It can’t be her!”

But how could he misremember? In that largest black-hooded carriage under Moli Pass, it was precisely this beautiful and soft voice of a girl which, in the stillness of dead silence, calmly spoke:

“Twenty years after, then what?”

The man with the aged hoarse voice did not answer her. She sounded a laugh, lightly, in the darkness—It wasn’t a girl’s innocent laugh, but something overly precocious, long used to despair, a sneer.

She was the first to find herself up. Before descending the carriage, she paused. “I haven’t inquired on how to address your honor?” she said.

“…Just call me ‘The Old Man of the Nine Lands,’” the raspy voice answered slowly.

She nodded. “I cannot do it, no need to count on me. Old Man of the Nine Lands, we shall not meet again.”

He lifted his head towards the other side, feeling his heart beating faster and faster in its hollow, and a thought ceaselessly circling in his head: “Is it her? Is it really her?”

“Chuchu, you must be wary,” said Daishüban with a frown, and immediately ordered the guards on the carriage: “Take to the Royal Consort to rest!”

The guards responded, commanded the horses, and directed the carriage to turn and rode away.

“Chuchu!” Badama cried with pain.

The one in the carriage watched back with glossy eyes, her gaze seeming to contain ten thousand attachment and reluctance. As the wind brushed up the drapes, they saw a beautiful woman sitting solitarily behind the crystal curtains, her long lush black hair falling to the ground, the length nearly eight zhang long, and glistening under the light. Under the kiss of the sunshine, it was like a scroll of lustrous black silk, setting any worldly ink work desaturate of color.

Even Lio Whu’s eyes came ashine, and he gave a sudden chuckle. “This humble one finally understands why the royal prince is so persistent,” he remarked.

“Mighty enemies on the barbican, and a royal consort in the door.¹” said Yujien, wearing an ambiguous smile. And as the order banner spread, he commanded the Engineering Corp to hurry the construction of the last segment of the rope bridge. The Imperial Army uniformly opened cannon fire, and the Alliance troops returned with Ballistae shots and storms of arrow.

Badama couldn’t help riding forward. The wound on his left shoulder twitched, and bean-sized cold sweat sprouted off his forehead, his hand stretched out in trembles. “Chu…”

Suddenly, an arrow soared across the ether. Yan Feiyu stopped by the chasm on her steed, a metal bow in her hand. “She said she doesn’t want to see you. Are your ears deaf, can’t you hear?” she said coolly.

Badama gripped his wound, looking at the arrow that sided by his body in disbelief, screaming, “Yan Feiyu, who was the one, years ago, that saved you two sister’s lives from the Snake God’s Pit? Who allowed you so much power, to take command and lead troops? You repay kindness with malice, how are you different from a beast?”

Yan Feiyu snorted a laugh and notched an arrow. “Repay kindness with malice? If you didn’t find her young and beautiful, how would you be so kind! You saved her from the pit, but used this as a leverage and bound her to your bed forever! What kindness do you call this? This is the kindness which calls your blood to run dry until death!”

Her tone filled with rancor, and the arrows came fast and furious. They heard a shrill cry. One of the White Rocks High Guard received a shot on his head through the skull, his blood splattered out for three zhang.

Qu Fongning followed these words with ten thousand thoughts rousing in his head. “They came from some earthen pit, low in stature, unclear of origins; it all matches. No wonder this Commander Yan… has such determination to kill me, so… we all have the same intuition.” Between now and then, a hot wave of moisture warmed his eyes.

Uighshön supported his half, feeling his back shivering, and hurried to smooth his back to help him breathe.

Lio Whu tsked and said, “The Royal Prince wasn’t married, and the beauty was unbetrothed; the two hit it off and tied the knot. How could you call this leveraging kindness? They say the cruelest are woman’s hearts. It’s certainly true.”

The gaze beneath Yujien’s mask sank dimly. “General Lio Whu is well-versed in human nature. The longer this woman remains alive, the more underlying dangers there will be. Why don’t General you take a strike for me and pick off this hornet’s sting?” he said.

“Then this humble one shall try a trick before the master,” replied Lio Whu, obligingly. He sent an arrow into the sulfurous black smog and shot Yan Feiyu clean off the horse.

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