“Send fifty thousand to capture them,” Ruo Wen said after finishing with his spear, a strange smile playing on his lips.
“Your Majesty!” Ge Xin Wei was alarmed, her delicate hand gripping Ruo Wen’s rough, darkened fist. “Your Majesty, as long as you defeat Zhan, everything will be yours. There’s no need to rush!”
Ruo Wen suddenly pulled his hand away, lifting her chin to meet her gaze. He smiled coldly. “You’re telling me to be patient? Ge Xin Wei, you’ve become foolish!”
Hearing those words, Ge Xin Wei’s heart froze. Her eyes became vacant as she realized, despite sharing his bed and heart for so long, she never truly knew what kind of man Ruo Wen was.
Four days had passed, and Huang Bei Shuang’s group had moved parallel to Zhun City. Just one more day of hard riding, and they would reach the border of Mizan.
“General! An army is approaching from the west!” A scout rushed over. “They’re flying the flag of Fen Tian!”
Wu Jihai was startled. They’ve finally arrived. “Quick, pick up the pace! We need to reach Mizan for reinforcements!” he ordered urgently, knowing that protecting the queen was his top priority on this mission.
“Hold on,” came a calm voice from the carriage. Huang Bei Shuang leaned back slightly, pulling her fur cloak tighter against the cold. “How many troops?” she asked.
“Fifty thousand, moving quickly! They’ll catch up by sunset,” the scout reported.
“Only fifty thousand?” Huang Bei Shuang gazed into the distance. “General Wu, have the troops move east and set up camp on that sand dune.”
Wu Jihai hesitated. “Your Highness?”
Huang Bei Shuang stepped out of the carriage, picking up a handful of yellow sand and letting it flow through her fingers. “General Wu, if they only sent fifty thousand, it means this isn’t Fen Tian’s main force. We need to lure their main army here—that’s our real objective. Whether or not we reach Mizan is irrelevant.”
Wu Jihai was astonished at her insight. She had known all along—this explained why she had been deliberately signaling their presence with horns.
“But, Your Highness, we only have ten thousand troops. We’re just making a show of resistance. How can we stand against fifty thousand enemy soldiers? If we lure their main force, we’ll be facing hundreds of thousands,” Wu Jihai reminded her.
Huang Bei Shuang smiled. “General Wu, do you know what kind of man Ruo Wen is?” she asked, catching him off guard with the question.
Wu Jihai was momentarily stunned. “I’ve heard he’s savage, with incredible strength.”
Huang Bei Shuang laughed. “Incredible strength? General Wu, I’ve seen him decapitate a wild horse with his bare hands. Could you do that? I’ve heard you’re one of the finest martial artists.”
Wu Jihai was shocked. “Impossible!” He had witnessed many powerful fighters, but the idea of cutting off a horse’s head barehanded was unimaginable.
Huang Bei Shuang’s tone grew colder. “If there’s anyone in this world who gives me nightmares, it’s Ruo Wen. General Wu, from the very start, you should’ve known that His Majesty planned to sacrifice this force of ten thousand.”
Wu Jihai looked at her, deeply moved. “Your Highness!” He wasn’t afraid of death—dying for his country was an honor. But to sacrifice such a beautiful and noble queen in her prime filled his heart with sorrow.
Huang Bei Shuang began walking toward the sand dune in the distance, followed closely by the eight generals and three maidservants. “You serve His Majesty, and the debt I owe him, I’ll repay through you. No matter what, I’ll ensure you survive,” she said without looking back, her words directed at the stunned Wu Jihai.
Your Majesty, do you know...
Underneath that lonely Jiemashu tree,
There’s a heart waiting for you,
But no place for you to stay.
What you’ve given me was never mine to keep,
And yet I’ll return what belongs to you, piece by piece.
Meanwhile, in Yunpei, General Guang Zhao Yun had maneuvered strategically and, after several turns, finally lured Ji Hua's forces into an ambush. Step by step, Ji Hua’s army moved deeper into Zhan’s trap. In just one day, the first major clash of Tian Du's forces resulted in losing nearly half their troops. Ji Hua could never have imagined that the king of an enemy nation would personally lead his forces into battle, wielding military strategy on par with Jing Tian Wang. Wounded and bitter, Ji Hua managed to escape with 20,000 men. What was supposed to be a mere skirmish ended with 4,000 of Tian Du’s soldiers dead, giving Yunpei a morale-boosting early victory even before the main battle began.
Returning to Hu He’s camp in disgrace, Ji Hua, still bleeding from his injuries, did not even tend to his wounds before seeking an audience with the king.
Qing Yun, out hunting on horseback, noticed Ji Hua’s return and, without a word, shot down a black dove with a single arrow before riding back to camp. He silently regarded the bruised and battered Ji Hua for a long time before coldly saying, “Take care of your wounds first.”
Ji Hua’s eyes were filled with frustration. “Your Majesty!”
Qing Yun clapped him on the shoulder, saying, “It’s not entirely your fault. Get some rest.”
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