The half-closed courtyard gate blurred the girl’s figure.
She walked farther and farther away, leaving only the color of the wisteria vivid and clear.
“Still looking?” Seeing Yan Yiqing glancing back every few steps, Yan Ruiyu reached out to turn her head back, feigning profundity as she said, “Don’t be reluctant to part with the jade pendant. She’ll be your little aunt-in-law someday. Your aunt is helping you here.”
“Little aunt-in-law?” Yan Yiqing frowned.
“That pair of twins from the Zhao family—the young lady just now was Zhao Huaijin’s younger sister, Zhao Huairen.” As she spoke, Yan Ruiyu lazily yawned. “I hear those sisters look extremely similar. It seems you’ll have a charming husband in the future.”
“Aunt, I want to learn the official dialect.”
“Tsk tsk tsk, you haven’t even met her yet, and you’re already wanting to learn the official dialect?” Seizing the chance to tease Yan Yiqing, Yan Ruiyu winked exaggeratedly. “Truly, a grown girl can’t be kept at home~”
She didn’t understand what her aunt was chuckling about.
She simply wanted to be able to understand her words the next time they met.
“Aunt, you’re right. Yanjing isn’t as detestable as I imagined.”
Hearing this, Yan Ruiyu smugly raised her brow, then grinned and said, “Yanjing is the capital of Great Yong. In terms of prosperity, it naturally outshines our Youzhou City. But Qing’er, you must remember: it takes many Youzhous to guard this prosperity in Yanjing.”
“Mm, I’ll protect Youzhou well, and I’ll protect Yanjing too.” Her fingers, slightly callused, brushed over the red silk ribbon on her wrist. Her deep eyes shone bright and clear. Suddenly, Yan Yiqing turned and said, “I’ve already mastered the third form of the spear technique. When will Aunt teach me the next form of the Yan Family Spear Technique?”
“You’ve already mastered the third form?” Yan Ruiyu’s gaze filled with surprise.
“The Yan Family Spear unleashes a chilling star’s fall; a hundred thousand Hu cavalry dare not advance.” The Yan Family Spear Technique had guarded the northern frontier for decades, one against a hundred, deterring invaders from daring to strike easily. In Great Yong, even children with looped hair knew this couplet.
Though they possessed this treasure, the Yan clan held no selfishness; any Great Yong soldier could learn the Yan Family Spear Technique.
The technique had seven forms, but unfortunately—
Few could truly master all seven.
Her eldest brother’s record remained unbroken. Even with her own reputation as a prodigy, she could scarcely measure up. Yet at Qing’er’s current pace of learning the spear technique, it wouldn’t be long before she surpassed her brother from back then.
“After today’s banquet ends, please grant me instruction, Aunt.” Thinking Yan Ruiyu didn’t believe her, Yan Yiqing cupped her hands.
“Good!”
Yan Ruiyu agreed readily, but a pang of inexplicable bitterness welled up in her heart.
She was happy for her niece, yet she couldn’t help feeling regret for herself. No matter how hard she tried, innate talent was a gulf she could never cross in her lifetime.
“Aunt, will I be able to see her often in the future?”
“See who?” Yan Ruiyu snapped back to attention.
A faint blush tinted her earlobes, and her lashes fluttered twice. Yan Yiqing pursed her lips and said, “Mm… that Zhao lady from earlier.”
“Rest assured, you’ll see her often in the future.”
With the affirmative answer,
Her lips curved slightly upward, and Yan Yiqing nodded gently.
…
“General?” Xing Wanyang, clad in light armor, bent down and waved her hand in front of Yan Yiqing. “What are you thinking about?”
The portrait in her hand rustled in the cold wind. Memories of the past instantly receded. Yan Yiqing frowned at her. “What is it?”
“The General didn’t even blink,” Xing Wanyang chuckled with a “hey hey,” scratching the back of her head. “I thought you’d been possessed or something.”
Yan Yiqing shot her an indifferent glance before her gaze returned to the figure in the painting. She murmured softly, “If she were still alive… would it be the same…”
“What did the General say? I didn’t hear.” Squeezing to her side, Xing Wanyang craned her neck and exclaimed, “This is exaggerated. Someone in the city actually sells portraits of the Zhao Heir specifically. But man, he’s really good-looking.”
“Good-looking?”
At that, Xing Wanyang blinked in confusion. Though she said nothing, the implication in her eyes was obvious: Not good-looking…? Then whose eyes were practically popping out just now?
“Just a pretty face with no substance.” Yan Yiqing crumpled the portrait in her hand and tossed it high into the fire pit. “A delicate little pretty boy like that? Hmph, pass.”
It seemed her general truly wasn’t pleased with this marriage.
Xing Wanyang rubbed her nose and sidled two steps closer to Yan Yiqing, whispering conspiratorially, “How about we head back to Youzhou? The skies are high and the emperor far away. We could just make up some…”
The chilling desolation had already soaked her peach-blossom eyes. The moment Yan Yiqing looked up, Xing Wanyang wisely fell silent.
“After returning to the tent, punish yourself.” Yan Yiqing said expressionlessly.
Her originally refined features scrunched into a bitter gourd. Wishing she could slap herself, Xing Wanyang drooped her head dejectedly. “Yes, General.”
Yan Yue had been waiting for her in Yanjing all this time.
And there were thousands of soldiers—she had to answer to the Youzhou Guard.
Her hands clenched tighter at her sides, nails digging deep into her palms. Her crow-feather lashes veiled her gaze—those pitch-black pupils brimmed with thick hatred.
“I’ll go walk alone. You return to camp.” Yan Yiqing rose from the smooth rock and walked solitary into the deep darkness.
Watching Yan Yiqing’s departing back,
Xing Wanyang furrowed her brows and sighed silently in her heart.
That battle six years ago had changed too many fates. After it, the general had become a completely different person.
Turmoil in the palace, yet urgent battles at the border.
One step back, and Youzhou’s people became fish meat.
Reinforcements delayed, salt and grain shortages. Knowing it was a doomed battle, they still had to fight. The soldiers’ blood dyed the moat scarlet.
The ever-victorious general, a master of warfare, suffered his first defeat. The Battle of Youping ended in catastrophe. The Great General Zhenbei perished for his country, while General Weinan survived at the cost of severing her own right arm.
Outnumbered by the enemy, the Youzhou Guard suffered a crushing defeat, but—
They successfully held Youzhou City.
The battle’s casualties were extremely heavy.
Of the Yan clan’s direct line, only three remained.
Strands of hair by her temple stirred in the breeze. Halting at the cliff’s edge, Yan Yiqing tilted her head to gaze at the starless silent sky, her eyes distant yet resolute…
She clearly remembered the two decrees issued consecutively after the new emperor ascended: one to thoroughly investigate the military payroll case and console Youzhou’s soldiers and people; the second, an imperial edict for marriage, betrothing the Yan clan’s eldest daughter Yan Yue to the second prince as his primary consort.
After the saint’s decree arrived,
Before the mourning period ended, Yan Yue entered the capital wearing white flowers.
Her father’s bones not yet cold, her mother lingered on her sickbed. Not yet of age, she supported her gravely wounded aunt as the two painstakingly rebuilt the shattered Youzhou Guard.
Spending a full five years, she pulled the frontline against the Northern Di back to its original point. The Northern Di surrendered, and the Youzhou Guard reclaimed the lost territory.
And now—
The same scheme, they wanted to use it a second time.
Youzhou was land irrigated with the Yan clan’s blood and bones. This trip to the capital—she would make them pay the due price.
