"General, Young Master Song is missing…"
Xie Yujin stood by the window, writing something with a brush, seemingly not hearing her words.
Deputy General Guo reported: "Your Highness, the city that General Xie and General Qin led troops to attack was the rebels' last stronghold. The rebel leader who proclaimed himself king is inside the city. We made detailed deployments a few days ago. The enemy, having suffered repeated defeats, was completely routed. We captured the city in just two days. The remaining tasks have been handed over to the rear troops for cleanup. We can set off back to Jing soon."
Song Zhiluan said: "That's wonderful!"
Xie Yujin glanced at the smile on her face and told Deputy General Guo: "Send a message back to Jing."
"Yes."
After Deputy General Guo left, Song Zhiluan walked to Xie Yujin's side and carefully examined the bloodstains on his armor. Only after confirming none of it was his did she relax and say: "I saw you coming to the training ground earlier. I was there too. Did you see me?"
Xie Yujin's gaze fell on her sweat-dampened hair at the temples: "No."
Song Zhiluan's smile instantly faded. "What kind of eyesight is that? And they still praise your superb archery skills? Do you shoot with your eyes closed? How could you not see someone as noticeable as me standing there?"
"They?"
"Those soldiers. I wouldn't have known if I hadn't talked with them," she poked his chest with her finger, "I never realized you hold such high prestige in their hearts. They can't stand anyone speaking ill of you."
"Who spoke ill of me?"
"…"
Song Zhiluan couldn't answer immediately, stalling for two seconds. Those two seconds were enough for Xie Yujin to figure out the whole story.
He continued: "You?"
Song Zhiluan pretended to be distracted by the bow and arrows placed on the table in front of him. "This quiver has excellent craftsmanship, and this bow too."
Xie Yujin leaned against the long table, her figure reflected in his eyes.
After Song Zhiluan exhausted her creativity praising the bow and arrows, Xie Yujin finally spoke from behind her: "Interested in archery?"
Song Zhiluan made a sound of surprise, then nodded: "A little bit." An interest that just emerged.
"I'll teach you."
Having said that, he actually picked up the bow as if ready to teach her immediately.
Song Zhiluan began to feel a headache coming on. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. "My wound still hurts. I don't know if the shoulder injury will have lasting effects. Learning archery seems too rough, doesn't it?"
"The physician said the wound is healing well and won't have lasting effects."
"…"
Xie Yujin took the opportunity to lift Song Zhiluan and place her on a soft cushion. She held his hand and swayed it, confessing: "I don't want to learn. Learning these things is too tiring. Besides, your archery skills are so exceptional – you can protect me in the future anyway. So why should I learn? If I learn, wouldn't your archery skills go to waste?"
Song Zhiluan didn't expect her lengthy twisted logic to be so effective today.
After hearing this, Xie Yujin put down the quiver, moved closer to her and asked: "Then what can you do?"
Song Zhiluan knew many different things, though none in depth.
Most were learned to pass time. Though not mastered, she had studied music, chess, calligraphy, painting, various musical instruments, and even the dances collected and composed by the Imperial Music Bureau. Any of these could be used to save face now – she could even perform or dance on the spot without any problem.
But Xie Yujin was too close.
So close she could smell the faint cold fragrance unique to him from his neck, which seeped all the way into her heart.
The warmth from his body continuously transferred to her, mingling with her body temperature. His lips, close to her ear, gently brushed against her earlobe as he spoke.
Song Zhiluan felt her heartbeat growing louder. If Xie Yujin came any closer, he would surely hear it.
He asked what she was good at in this position.
Countless thoughts raced through Song Zhiluan's mind, none of them decent, her ears echoing with nighttime whispers.
Gazing into Xie Yujin's pitch-black eyes, she quietly unfastened his belt, her throat slightly dry. "Xie Yujin, are you seriously asking me questions right now?"
Xie Yujin hummed in acknowledgment.
"Then what are you doing now?" Song Zhiluan was lifted up, her voice stumbling. The clothes at her shoulders were already disheveled, her legs inexplicably weak, only her hands still retaining some strength. "Xie… mm…"
He was kissing the side of her neck.
Though ticklish, Song Zhiluan didn't retreat an inch out of delight. Instead, she tilted her head back cooperatively and wrapped her arms around his waist as if encouraging him.
But the moment her hands pressed against him, Xie Yujin stiffened. In his dark eyes meeting hers, emotions she couldn't decipher surged faintly, like a silent tidal wave.
Song Zhiluan held him tighter, her eyes curving as she prepared to speak, but her encircling arms were forcibly removed.
Puzzled, her hands hovered midair, forgotten, as she watched Xie Yujin gather her clothes with both hands, turn away, and say:
"I'm leaving first."
Prince of Dingnan Manor, Jing.
Song Zhen stared at the glinting armor before him. The synchronized breathing of thousands resonated like fish puffing their gills beneath dark tides. Before the moonless manor, his hands trembled slightly.
To wear battle armor again, and under such circumstances today.
"Father," he turned around, "is there truly no other path?"
Song Liang's hand pressed on his shoulder armor, voice filled with bitterness. "Zhen'er, your father can lose everything except you. If Song Dingyuan wants your life, I'll take his!"
Song Zhen averted his gaze. "Is Father doing this for me, or for yourself?"
A bitter smile touched Song Liang's lips. His eyes held no desperate ambition when looking at Song Zhen, only unspoken sorrow. "When you become a parent, you'll understand your father's hardships. Not everyone values power as heavily as my younger brother. We enter this world with nothing and leave with nothing. If I were left with no family, what would be the point of living? I just don't know if I'll live to see you establish your career and family."
News from Jing must have reached the north.
Their opponent would be Xie Yujin.
Remembering how Song Dingyuan had guarded against a mere teenager years ago, yet still failed to prevent his military fame from spreading and his influence growing.
That was because Xie Yujin had never known defeat.
He was a military prodigy among ten thousand.
The only thing that could be considered his weakness, Linghuai, had been inadvertently released by his foolish Zhen'er through leaked information.
He had considered sending someone to recapture them, but ultimately let them go.
He always thought, if they failed, perhaps Linghuai might plead for Zhen'er's life out of gratitude for this.
On the third morning stationed at Guocheng, the eight-hundred-li urgent dispatch from the Imperial City arrived.
Several figures stood in the commander's tent, yet no sound was made. Even their quiet breathing was barely perceptible. They watched together as flickering flames licked at the message, illuminating their faces. The smooth-quality paper turned into fragments of ash, successively falling around the candle.
After reading the letter, their expressions varied greatly, all secretly observing the young man in the main seat.
Xie Yujin crushed the faint "Return Immediately" characters visible in the ashes.
After a moment, Deputy General Guo, his usually friendly face tense, stepped forward: "General, please give the order."
"The civil unrest in the Imperial City and the rebellion of the Prince of Dingnan provide the perfect pretext to raise banners proclaiming 'eradication of rebels' and 'marching south to aid the emperor.' All cities will grant us passage, sparing us many complications."
"Indeed, General, there's no better opportunity than now. Even if we slaughter the entire imperial clan, we have the perfect excuse of 'brothers turning on each other.' As the consort of Linghuai Princess, trusted minister of the Crown Prince, and the only heir of our lord, no one is more suited than you to suppress this rebellion."
"This is the Mandate of Heaven!"
Xie Yujin lowered his head, the wind-blown ashes fleeting through his vision, though his thoughts remained unreadable.
An elderly general with graying hair grasped his arm. "General, the Song family's destiny is exhausted. Apart from Song Liang, Song Dingyuan has no surviving relatives. You're not the only one commanding substantial forces—just in Chongzhou and Yuanzhou, there are two armies of comparable strength. Many regions are still gathering troops to aid the emperor, preparing to march overnight to the capital. Our forces are well-supplied with provisions and morale is high after recent victories. Every soldier is willing to devote themselves to you. Seizing control of the Imperial City first minimizes risks. The struggle for the empire will be decided within days—we cannot afford any delay. Make your decision, General."
The old general's words quickly gained agreement from the others.
Some even suggested executing Old General Qin tonight, noting that the Qin family's unwavering loyalty to the throne made them impossible to sway and currently unprepared for such a move.
Xie Yujin listened silently, maintaining his composure even during these treasonous discussions. Only after they finished did he speak: "General Qin…"
"Emergency! Let me into the tent—it's urgent!"
"The General ordered no disturbances!"
"Step back now!"
Yet when the guards drew their swords, they heard: "Let her in."
"Yes!"
Deputy General Guo recognized the voice outside as Zhinu, the maid serving Linghuai Princess. Xie Yujin's confirmation surprised those unaware of the connection, given the unusual circumstances.
Zhinu entered hastily, kneeling by the entrance without glancing around. "General, Young Master Song has disappeared."
Xie Yujin's expression shifted immediately. "When?"
"Some time ago. He felt tired at noon and said he would rest. I watched by his bedside before going to prepare medicine. When I returned, he appeared to be sleeping. Then another batch of wounded soldiers arrived, and I went to prepare their medicine. When I came back, the medicine was drunk, but the tent was empty. I thought he'd gone out for air and searched the camp for over an hour without success. Returning to the tent, I found Young Master Song's jade pendant on the bed—he never goes anywhere without it…"
As she spoke, Zhinu produced a jade piece instantly recognizable to everyone present.
Bloodstains had saturated the premium jade material.
Xie Yujin's face darkened completely at the sight of the bloodied jade. Taking the pendant, he immediately verified its authenticity through touch.
Song Zhiluan would never leave behind anything he gave him.
Not even in the most dangerous situations.
Unless he had no choice.
Deputy General Guo said, "I'll send men to search for Young Master Song immediately."
"Keep it quiet."
"Yes."
As Deputy General Guo finished speaking and was about to leave, the man before him stepped out through the curtain first. Startled, he froze in place. Zhinu, kneeling at the outermost edge, heard a buzzing murmur from within the tent. Everyone stood together blocking Xie Yujin's path. Though she couldn't make out their words clearly, she instinctively sensed a tense, confrontational atmosphere.
Soon, no one knew what the young man said, but everyone fell silent.
Xie Yujin left with his sword.