Ye Xiren stared at him intently.
Ye Changming instinctively stepped in front of Ye Xiren, blocking Lu Qian’s line of sight. He too had noticed the Northern Yan man and, recalling the news Yun Shun had delivered, pointed at Lu Qian and cursed:
“Lu Qian, you’ve betrayed Daliang and colluded with the Northern Yan people! Pah! You traitor, you Northern Yan lapdog!”
Having dealt with him a few times before, he had originally thought Lu Qian was merely a pawn used by the Peace Faction to frame them. Now it seemed this man was clearly a Northern Yan lapdog who had long ago secretly pledged allegiance to Chizhan Lan Ce.
Upon hearing this, Lu Qian smiled, unbothered, and casually shook his head. The tip of his blade scraped marks on the ground as he sneered, “Traitor? You’re mistaken. I’m simply someone who knows which way the wind blows. Besides, who said I’m from Daliang?”
In his veins flowed half Northern Yan blood—how could that be considered treason?
Ye Changming’s mouth fell open, his heart pounding with shock.
This Lu Qian was actually a Northern Yan man!
Northern Yan people and Daliang people did have some differences in appearance, but judging by his looks alone, Lu Qian showed no trace of foreign blood.
“Why bother making excuses for your treason? Even if you have Northern Yan blood, you clearly look like a Daliang man. Daliang raised and nurtured you, yet it produced an ungrateful wolf!” Ye Changming continued to berate him.
Lu Qian’s eyes turned icy as he let out a cold laugh:
“No need to struggle. By my calculations, Northern Yan is already attacking Huai’an Qu by now. That Yan fellow’s head will be delivered tomorrow… On the battlefield, when Northern Yan presents the head, it will be the Daliang court that killed him. Guess how long Huai’an Qu can hold out? By then, the Yanjia Army will be thrown into chaos, and taking Huai’an Qu will be as easy as turning over a hand.”
Once Huai’an Qu falls, from the Huai River to the protective river of Nandu, the land will be flat and open. The Northern Yan Iron Hooves will charge southward as if entering unguarded territory, striking directly toward Nandu.
And Daliang…
Will there still be anyone capable of standing against Northern Yan?
Ye Pei’s eyes nearly burst with rage, his body swaying unsteadily.
“Chizhan Lan Ce is still in Nandu. His Majesty will soon bring the situation under control. Even if General Yan is gone, capturing Chizhan Lan Ce still offers hope—he is the Northern Yan Crown Prince. But what about you?” Ye Xiren finally spoke, striking at the vital point. “It was you, this traitor, who caused this disaster. Do you think Daliang will let you go?”
Northern Yan is about to attack. Even if they can’t kill Chizhan Lan Ce, can’t they still kill his lapdog?
Lu Qian’s expression instantly changed, his gaze darkening.
Beside him, Mole laughed wildly, utterly arrogant. “Lord Lu, rest assured. Who can’t see the current situation clearly? This Daliang will soon belong to Northern Yan. Your emperor and all the court officials will be lambs in Northern Yan’s pen—who would dare act recklessly?
“Besides, there are plenty of clever people in Daliang. No one would dare touch His Highness. With His Highness protecting you, naturally no one would dare touch you either.”
Hearing this, the tension in Lu Qian’s heart eased.
Indeed, from the moment General Yan died, this Daliang had already become Northern Yan’s prize.
He pointed his blade at Ye Pei, raising an eyebrow. “Minister Ye, you’re not a fool. You oversee the Ministry of Revenue. The Northern Yan people need your assistance. His Highness asked me to relay a message: if you cooperate, you will remain Minister of Revenue. Once Northern Yan enters Nandu, titles and high positions will be yours for the taking.”
Ye Pei’s chest heaved violently as he spat out with hatred, “Dream on! One day, my Daliang will drive out all you Yan dogs! Traitors deserve a wretched death!”
"Why waste words with them? His Highness said, if they're willing to defect, keep them; if they don't know what's good for them, just kill them outright, so these people won't cause any more trouble for Northern Yan."
After saying this, Mole swung his long whip fiercely toward Ye Pei, aiming to take his life with a single strike.
Ye Changming's pupils contracted, and he lunged forward to take the blow for his father. He let out a muffled groan, his back instantly stained red with blood.
"Changming!"
"Brother!"
Ye Xiren rushed forward to support her brother, but was knocked to the ground by Ye Changming's weight. In that moment, none of it mattered. Ye Changming's face turned pale, and beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
This wasn't like Ma Shan's petty scuffles. The whip was studded with sharp iron spikes, and Ye Changming's spine was nearly broken. He convulsed in pain but couldn't make a sound.
Ye Xiren was at a loss, trembling with rage. Her eyes fixed on Lu Qian and Mole, anger and hatred nearly overwhelming her.
Lu Qian chuckled lightly. "The second Miss Ye is indeed bold and quite charming. Master Mole, spare this girl's life for now. I want to take her back with me."
His eyes roamed over her, making Ye Pei so furious he could barely stand. Clenching his fists, he knew staying here was futile. Since death was certain either way, even if they were outnumbered, they had to make one last stand. As long as Yun Shun could get the token out, there was still a chance to stop them…
Mole and the others also moved to attack, their swords already drawn. Just then, someone suddenly rushed in.
A Northern Yan man hurried toward them, his face grim, stumbling and collapsing before Mole. He cried out, "Master, His Highness… His Highness is gone!"
Mole and Lu Qian both paled.
Mole disregarded everything else and sprinted out.
Lu Qian stood frozen in place. Chizhan Lan Ce was dead? Who dared to kill him at such a time? And without the Northern Yan Crown Prince, could they still protect their own lives?
Another set of hurried footsteps echoed as another group of men burst in.
Lu Qian's men immediately tensed, gripping their long blades tightly, eyeing the newcomers warily as they retreated step by step.
When Ye Pei saw who had arrived, he breathed a sigh of relief. It was Imperial Guard Commander Ying Changping. If he was here to deal with Lu Qian, it meant the situation in the palace was already under control.
Ye Pei immediately urged, "Commander Ying! Go after General Yan's head!"
Ying Changping's eyes were bloodshot, his face filled with despair. He gritted his teeth. "It's too late. General Yan was beheaded at noon, and his head was gone by the hour of the goat. That Chizhan Lan Ce had already sent it out long ago. Having these Yan dogs intercept everywhere was just to confuse us…"
General Yan's head had long been sent to Huai'an Qu by Chizhan Lan Ce's men…
From the hour of the goat until now, how could they possibly catch up!
Daliang was finished.
Ye Pei nearly roared the words, as if he had aged ten years in an instant. Tears streamed down his face, mingling with the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Amid the chaos and clamor outside, it was utterly despairing.
Ye Xiren stood frozen in place.
A chill crept up from her feet, spreading through her limbs and bones. She felt as if she had been frozen stiff, her soul utterly gone.
Lu Qian laughed heartily. "Hahaha, as expected of His Highness Lan Ce, leaving nothing to chance."
Even he had thought the head had just been sent out, leading his men to chase Yun Shun, who held the Prefect of Southern Capital's seal, fearing they would seal the city gates and block the head's delivery. Who would have thought it had already been sent out long ago!
It was just a pity—how could such a clever man as His Highness Lan Ce have lost his life?
Who on earth killed him?
Ying Changping pointed his spear at Lu Qian, "I'll kill you, you traitor!"
Lu Qian showed no fear, lifting his chin defiantly, "Daliang has lost. Do you dare kill us? Prince Lance is already dead. The Emperor and all of you will face the wrath of the Bei Yan people. You may not fear death, but what about your families?"
Ying Changping was furious.
He raised his spear but ultimately did not thrust it forward. Their orders were to capture these Bei Yan people, to see if there was still a glimmer of hope…
Ying Changping was so enraged that veins bulged on his forehead, his eyes wide with fury. "If only General Yan hadn't died…"
"You know it too—he's dead," Lu Qian said smugly.
Her strength drained, Ye Xiren almost collapsed to the ground. Ye Changming was growing weaker by the moment, her father's condition didn't look good either, and worst of all, the entire nation of Daliang…
Ye Xiren murmured, "Is this the result of stopping Father from taking the blame on the third day of the third month?"
General Yan was dead, Nandu was in chaos, and Daliang… was about to fall.
To protect her family, she had brought about the nation's ruin.
Ye Pei was like a candle, long burned out, leaving only a hollow shell. Hearing Ye Xiren's words, he weakly gestured for his daughter to come closer.
Ye Xiren stiffly approached.
Ye Pei grasped her cold hand, his voice hoarse and feeble: "Xixi, it's not your fault. This is fate… Daliang's fate!"
Two streams of tears fell from Ye Xiren's empty eyes. She felt lost. "Father, I only wanted to save the Ye family, to save your life…"
"I know," Ye Pei said, gripping her hand tightly, tears streaming down his face. "Before the peace talks, Bei Yan had not made any demands, but our people learned that their condition for negotiations was the death of General Yan. Even with the added tribute, the officials in the court who only wanted an end to the war would have agreed. We guessed then that General Yan would surely die today…"
In such circumstances, all the War Faction could do was to win the Emperor's favor. But the Emperor remained fixated on General Yan's "rebel" crimes, so they had to clear the general's name.
The evidence would not arrive until tomorrow, and today was the final deadline.
Time was tight, so Ye Pei brought up the Military Provisions Case again, directing the corruption clues toward himself.
Ye Xiren couldn't hold back her sobs. On the previous third day of the third month, Ye Pei had confessed, the Emperor had been furious, and the Ye family had faced execution of the entire family… but General Yan had still been alive…
"If I took the blame, it would implicate all of you. But how could you be guilty?" Ye Pei wiped away Ye Xiren's tears with a pained heart. "It's not your fault. This is Daliang's fate. I couldn't save it, and neither could General Yan."
His dear Xixi didn't know what would happen. Even he couldn't have predicted it before it occurred. Xixi's desire to protect her father and her family was not wrong. His daughter was a brave and filial child.
It wasn't her fault.
With the outcome already decided, Ye Pei was now exceptionally gentle.
Ye Xiren looked up at him through tear-filled eyes, her voice trembling as she asked, "If General Yan were alive, could he have saved it?"
"I don't know. I didn't know him well, but I do know that only he could lead the army to victory against Bei Yan, keeping them firmly beyond the Huai'an Qu."
Ye Pei seemed lost in thought, as if recalling the young general who had been escorted to the capital. "Do you know of the Yan family? For generations, they have guarded the border, never allowing Bei Yan to encroach…"
He spoke of General Yan, of the Yan family.
The Loyal and Brave Marquis's household had produced generals for generations. The Northern Yan's invasion of Daliang had lasted not just one or two years, and thus, there had always been a Loyal and Brave Marquis and the Yanjia Army guarding the border through the ages.
A few years ago, during the reign of Emperor Xian, Northern Yan invaded once more. Emperor Xian was young and always eager to achieve great feats and establish his legacy. Moreover, Daliang had strong soldiers and sturdy horses, so he decided to lead the expedition himself, determined to personally drive back the Northern Yan forces.
The two sides clashed at the border. Originally, Daliang had the absolute advantage with its powerful army, but Emperor Xian insisted on leading the charge. Once on the battlefield, however, he grew fearful and fled at the critical moment. Seizing the opportunity, Chizhan Lan Ce decisively crushed the Daliang army, killed the Loyal and Brave Marquis, and seized the Sixteen Prefectures.
Afterward, General Yan's elder brother became the new Loyal and Brave Marquis, defending against the Northern Yan Army.
The previous battle had inflicted heavy losses, and by then, Northern Yan had grown powerful while Daliang weakened.
After Emperor Xian fled back to Beidu, Northern Yan pressed forward step by step. The Loyal and Brave Marquis held the line at the Yellow River, fighting bitterly for two years. Chizhan Lan Ce blew up the Yellow River dikes, causing countless Daliang civilians to perish and winning that battle. The Loyal and Brave Marquis died pierced by ten thousand arrows, and the Northern Yan Army charged straight toward Beidu.
Emperor Xian grew terrified and, together with the prime minister of the time, decided to move the capital. Ye Pei and others tried to stop them but failed.
What followed were humiliating memories of fleeing while being relentlessly attacked.
Emperor Xian died on the journey. He had only one young son, who ascended the throne as a child emperor and continued moving the court to Nandu. Shortly after arriving in Nandu, the child emperor fell ill and died, leading to the ascension of the current emperor, Liang Yue, last year.
The current emperor was more decisive than Emperor Xian, supporting a major war. Large quantities of military provisions were transported to the border, barely maintaining the deteriorating situation.
And on the path where Northern Yan rampantly charged toward Nandu, one man led a Yanjia Army and joined forces with the defenders of Huai'an Qu to repel the undefeated Northern Yan Army.
The tide of the war turned.
Ye Pei's breathing grew heavy, and his grip on Ye Xiren's hand tightened:
"This man was barely twenty, yet possessed extraordinary talent. He could even rally refugees into a formidable army. His leadership abilities were rare in the world. The Emperor was overjoyed and immediately appointed him as the new Loyal and Brave Marquis, providing him with all the funds and provisions he needed. Thus, last year saw several major victories, and the Northern Yan Army was firmly held back outside Huai'an Qu."
"But everything changed when Northern Yan presented the Peace Treaty." Ye Changming took a deep breath and continued, "One after another, unfavorable news about General Yan spread. The court officials, greedy for life and afraid of death, increasingly advocated for peace talks. Prime Minister Jiang strongly advocated for negotiations. The Emperor was swayed, and the Northern Yan Delegation entered Nandu. General Yan intercepted and attempted to kill the delegation but was betrayed by Lu Qian and imprisoned."
Hearing this, Ye Xiren closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.
She knew most of these events, having lived through the years of war from Beidu to Nandu. But she had never imagined that one day, a person whose fate was tied to the nation's destiny would be bound to their family. To protect him, their family would have to die; but not protecting him would mean the nation's demise.
"I'm sorry…"
She shouldn't have drugged him.
Ye Pei shook his head, looking tenderly at his daughter, then at Ye Changming lying on the ground, and at Liao Changying, her face wet with tears.
"It is I who have failed you." Ye Pei's eyes reddened as he continued to analyze his thoughts. "Chizhan Lan Ce is cunning and full of schemes. The more he wants General Yan dead, the more it proves General Yan's importance. So, in my attempt to protect him for even a day, I nearly brought death upon all of you. Xixi is not wrong; it is Heaven that does not bless our Daliang…"
In the end, people like them lacked the power to turn the tide and save this crumbling nation.
Ying Changping's face had long been streaked with tears. Upon hearing these words, he pushed Lu Qian with his spear, gritting his teeth in fury: "Hurry up and leave!"
He had come to capture Lu Qian, after all.
Lu Qian showed no fear, letting out a light scoff:
"Lord Ye, all your efforts have been in vain. Daliang's fate is sealed. Heaven has ordained that Northern Yan will replace it—this is destiny, the destiny of Daliang, the destiny of your Ye family."
These detestable members of the War Faction had caused them no end of trouble. When the day came that the Northern Yan Iron Hooves marched forth, not a single one of them would be spared.
Ye Xiren gently laid Ye Changming down.
She calmly wiped away her tears, slowly rose to her feet, and fixed her gaze on Lu Qian. Her dark eyes bore into him as she asked softly, "Destiny?"
"But I believe destiny has not yet run its course." With these words, Ye Xiren suddenly charged toward Lu Qian.
Lu Qian was startled and instinctively raised his hand.
The blade in his hand flashed coldly. Ye Xiren's neck collided with it—this was her first voluntary "Beheading."
How could destiny be exhausted?
It could still Restart.
Once more!
Author's Note: