That night, Cheng Xiang, acting on Ruo Wen’s orders, officially issued a declaration to four corners—Gu He, Yunpei, Mizan, and Fen Tian. The cold, merciless words of the document left a lasting impression on many who read it, something they would never forget for the rest of their lives. The short, sharp lines were like a blade scraping across bone, ringing ominously:
“The Ghostly Brocade Banner stakes its claim. Those who flee will be executed. Those who enter without permission will die! The Huang Tian Berserker Army rests here, fearing neither life nor death, neither shame nor disgrace! Let this be a warning to the four corners—if anyone dares to challenge our forces, we will raze the city! There will be no mercy!”
With those few words, neither Tiandu nor Yunpei could move. Fen Tian, busy with rebuilding its own kingdom, was powerless to act.
This was the current Ruo Wen, a man whose dealings with Qing Yun, King Zhan, Huang Bei Shuang, and even Ge Xin Wei had made him understand what it meant to be a king—what politics was. And once he understood it, he found it utterly boring. There was nothing in this world he dared not do! Kill? Fine. Even if there was retribution, it was just death. What was so frightening about death? To him, the most terrifying thing was boredom—lack of desire, emptiness. Other than that, what could the gods possibly punish him with? Nothing!
But for Qing Yun or King Zhan, could they do the same? A ruler who razed his own city would see his kingdom perish. It was just that one pesky word—“ruler”—that trapped them. No matter how clever they were, what did it matter? They would never be like Ruo Wen, a bandit to the core, unchanging and unrestrained, until death! No one could threaten him, let alone play games with him.
"If born in darkness, desire is the flame that burns and consumes all.If born in light, desire is the drop of blood that stains purity.In this lifetime, only the banner understands my will.In this life, only the underworld reveals my heart!Never shall I know regret! I shall never retreat!"
For the first time since sealing its borders, Yunpei opened its city gates wide to welcome back a valiant general who had fought on its battlefields for over a decade—General Wu Jihai. This time, they returned without the loss of a single soldier. The long procession passed through the desert, carrying an ornate but empty sedan chair. Beside it, eleven people walked in chains—these were Lian Huan, Ye Pei, and others.
Along the way, Wu Jihai had cursed them fiercely, but he feared they would take their own lives, so he had shackled them and forcibly brought them back to the kingdom. He owed the queen too much; the least he could do was ensure her people didn’t die in vain.
King Zhan sat in the grand hall of Guang Han Palace, watching Wu Jihai’s safe return. Inside, he felt a surge of emotion—shock, gratitude. His queen had not only lived up to his expectations; she had done more. She had preserved a general whose presence could shake the world. In this time of chaos, she had not failed him even a little.
“General!” King Zhan called out, gazing at Wu Jihai, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
“Your Majesty, the queen... she...” Wu Jihai’s face was filled with remorse, and for a long time, he couldn’t finish his sentence.
King Zhan leaned back, glancing at the eleven people shackled at the side, those who had accompanied Huang Bei Shuang. He pondered for a while before speaking softly, “Guang Zhaoyun, read the letter we received from Tiandu this morning.”
Guang Zhaoyun stepped forward and began reading the letter word for word:
“To the ruler of Guang Han Palace of Yunpei:
The world is divided and governed by territories—the northern lands ruled by the King of Beijing, and the southern lands by King Zhan. In times of competition, they stand as equals; in times of peace, they sit as equals. Our sovereign expresses great sorrow over the passing of your esteemed queen and mourns for three days, considering her a true ally. However, he remains unable to fully quell his grief. Hence, we send this letter to convey three lines of comfort:
‘What is lost cannot be regained; grieving in vain brings no relief; pursue not the past in governance.’
We hope your Majesty will understand our king’s sincerity. May your dragon body remain in good health, and your empire prosper without end.”
Guang Zhaoyun’s words were clear and deliberate, and when he uttered the phrase “passing of the queen,” Lian Huan, Ye Pei, and the others nearly collapsed in shock.
“Nashe!” Lian Huan could no longer contain his fury. With a sudden burst of strength, he broke free of his chains, unsheathed his sword, and pointed it directly at King Zhan. “It’s all your fault! You used Nashe as bait!” The burning anger in the hearts of the eleven men had extinguished any glimmer of hope. Their eyes were now empty, devoid of purpose. Even Wu Jihai stood frozen, unable to react.
“How dare you!” Guang Zhaoyun roared, and several guards rushed forward to subdue them all.
King Zhan sat on his throne, gazing down at the eleven captives. From what he had deduced, there were likely more than just these eleven. Who knew where else Huang Bei Shuang, with her meticulous plans, had hidden her spies?
“I’ve heard that in Ernaqi, the highest rank is called Ershou, but it seems you are more loyal to Nashe!” King Zhan laughed coldly. “You don’t even care to acknowledge me!”
Though captured, Lian Huan still gripped his sword tightly. The eleven of them remained silent, their expressions showing they had lost all will to live.
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