A-Li’s figure melted into the night, slipping silently back to the residence like a phantom.
The candle in her room burned throughout the night.
She waited for the ink on the letter to dry before carefully sealing it inside a bamboo tube.
Raising a hand, she tapped lightly on the window.
Almost instantly, Zhan Li’s tall figure appeared soundlessly outside.
“Deliver this to Qing Ren personally,” A-Li said in a voice barely above a whisper. “Tell him to follow the plan. Harass the enemy only. Do not engage in a prolonged fight. Strike once, then withdraw immediately.”
“Yes, Pavilion Master.”
Zhan Li accepted the bamboo tube, tucked it into his robes, and vanished in a blur.
The next morning, in the dining hall—
Xiao Yu, Shen Yi, and A-Li sat around the table eating breakfast.
The atmosphere was subdued.
Xiao Yu was clearly still haunted by the nightmare from the previous night and had little appetite.
Just then, hurried footsteps approached.
Shouyang strode into the room, his expression grave.
“Your Highness—an urgent report from outside the city!”
Xiao Yu immediately set down his chopsticks.
“Report.”
“At midnight last night, a group of unidentified bandits attacked the western military camp outside the city.”
“According to the injured soldiers, there weren’t many of them. Their fighting style… resembled mountain bandits.”
“They only exchanged blows briefly before retreating into the forest.”
“It seemed less like an assault…”
“…and more like deliberate provocation.”
“Mountain bandits?”
Xiao Yu pondered for a moment.
“Could it have been Qinglong Stronghold?”
“Very likely.”
Shouyang nodded.
“Among the nearby factions, only Qinglong Stronghold possesses both the courage and capability.”
“They’ve clashed with the authorities before, but usually while robbing merchant caravans or resisting encirclement.”
“This is the first time they’ve ever taken the initiative to attack a military camp.”
Shen Yi tapped his folding fan against his palm and scoffed.
“So the bandits think that now the Prefect’s gone, no one can keep them in check?”
“Or are they testing Your Highness, the new commander?”
A-Li quietly sipped her porridge, carefully putting on just the right amount of curiosity and surprise.
Xiao Yu remained silent for a while, rhythmically tapping the tabletop with his fingers.
His original plan had been to stabilize Suzhou while continuing to search for clues about his sister.
Suppressing the bandits had not been his immediate priority.
But now…
Qinglong Stronghold had openly provoked them.
That changed everything.
He lifted his head.
Resolve had returned to his eyes.
“Shouyang.”
“Dispatch more men immediately.”
“Conduct a thorough reconnaissance of Qinglong Stronghold and the surrounding terrain.”
“Shen Yi.”
“Prepare the troops.”
“Remain on standby.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The two answered in unison.
A-Li set down her bowl and looked toward Xiao Yu.
Concern flickered across her face, mixed with unmistakable eagerness.
“Your Highness…”
“Is suppressing the bandits dangerous?”
“May I come and watch?”
“I promise I won’t cause trouble.”
Xiao Yu glanced at her.
His first instinct was to refuse.
But considering that Suzhou itself might no longer be entirely safe, he eventually relented.
“Stay beside either me or Shen Yi.”
“You are not to act on your own.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
A-Li immediately beamed.
Yet deep within her eyes, a cold gleam flashed briefly.
The fish… has taken the bait.
Over the following days, Qinglong Stronghold continued leading Xiao Yu’s forces in circles.
Every encounter felt like punching cotton.
Frustrating.
Utterly futile.
The bandits seemed to know every inch of the mountains.
They appeared and disappeared like ghosts, constantly harassing the imperial troops without ever committing to a direct battle.
Their tactics slowed the campaign to a crawl while steadily wearing down the soldiers’ morale.
Several elite shadow guards sent by Shouyang to scout the terrain encountered one unexpected obstacle after another.
Not only did they return empty-handed—
they even suffered casualties.
Inside the command tent, the atmosphere had grown increasingly oppressive.
“These Qinglong bastards are slipperier than eels.”
Shen Yi irritably flicked his riding whip.
“If this keeps up, forget morale.”
“We’ll burn through our supplies, and sooner or later the court will accuse Your Highness of incompetence.”
Xiao Yu sat at the head of the table, outwardly calm.
Only the unconscious tapping of his fingertips against the map betrayed the anxiety he kept hidden.
Just then—
A-Li, who had been quietly sitting nearby, suddenly looked up.
Her eyes sparkled.
“Your Highness.”
“Your Lordship.”
“Let me try.”
Both Xiao Yu and Shen Yi turned toward her.
“You?”
Shen Yi arched an eyebrow.
“Little A-Li, this isn’t child’s play.”
“Those bandits are vicious, and the terrain is incredibly complicated.”
“Even Shouyang’s men suffered losses.”
“I know it’s dangerous!”
A-Li puffed out her chest.
“But I grew up running around mountains.”
“I’m very good at climbing trees and crawling through caves.”
“I know some hidden trails used by herbal gatherers.”
“Maybe I can find a way around their defenses.”
Xiao Yu frowned immediately.
“No.”
“It’s too dangerous.”
But A-Li refused to give up.
Walking over to him, she argued earnestly,
“Your Highness, I know you’re worried about me.”
“But I can’t keep living under everyone’s protection forever.”
“Eating and staying here without doing anything.”
“I want to help.”
“I’ll only observe from a distance and make a rough map.”
“I won’t go near them.”
“If anything seems wrong…”
“I’ll run immediately.”
“I’m really fast!”
Xiao Yu looked at her.
Thinking of their current deadlock…
he hesitated.
Shen Yi rubbed his chin.
“Your Highness…”
“She does have a point.”
“Maybe letting her try those strange little paths will actually accomplish something.”
“We can secretly assign several of our best men to protect her.”
In the end—
After A-Li’s repeated assurances…
and Shen Yi’s persuasion…
Xiao Yu reluctantly agreed.
He warned her over and over,
“Your safety comes first.”
“Do not act recklessly.”
“The moment anything feels wrong…”
“Retreat immediately.”
“I’ll have people waiting at the rendezvous point.”
“Don’t worry, Your Highness!”
A-Li smiled brilliantly.
With A-Li’s help…
the situation truly began to change.
She discovered narrow trails almost completely swallowed by vegetation.
Some routes even wound through narrow mountain crevices that required climbing sheer cliffs.
The information she brought back was fragmented…
but invaluable.
Using her reports, Xiao Yu adjusted his battle plans several times.
Twice, they successfully ambushed small groups of bandits.
The victories weren’t significant—
but they were victories nonetheless.
For the first time, real progress had been made.
The soldiers’ morale rose noticeably.
Both Xiao Yu and Shen Yi came to admire A-Li even more.
Their trust in her deepened considerably.
Then…
During yet another solo reconnaissance mission—
this time investigating a perilous mountain path that might bypass Qinglong Stronghold’s main defenses—
something went wrong.
The sun sank behind the western mountains.
A-Li never arrived at the designated rendezvous point.
The shadow guards assigned to receive her expanded their search.
They found nothing.
Night completely enveloped the mountains.
Torches were lit throughout the camp.
Inside the command tent, Xiao Yu paced back and forth.
His expression grew darker with every passing moment.
Every search party he’d dispatched had returned empty-handed.
It was as though A-Li had vanished into the mountains without leaving a trace.
“Could she have gotten lost?”
Shen Yi suggested.
Even he found the explanation unconvincing.
A-Li possessed an excellent sense of direction.
“Or perhaps she encountered a wild beast.”
Shouyang’s expression was grave.
“There are indeed signs of dangerous predators in that region.”
“What worries me more…”
Xiao Yu’s voice had become noticeably taut.
“…is that she may have fallen into Qinglong Stronghold’s hands.”
The thought alone tightened painfully around his heart.
A young woman…
captured by a gang of ruthless mountain bandits…
He couldn’t bear to imagine what might happen.
Anxiety and guilt coiled around his chest like vines.
Although they hadn’t known each other long…
she was clever.
Bright.
And somehow always gave him an inexplicable urge to protect her.
More importantly—
she had only gone because he had sent her.
“We can’t wait any longer.”
Xiao Yu stopped pacing abruptly.
Determination flashed across his face.
“Shouyang.”
“Send more men.”
“Search through the night.”
“Focus on any hidden sentry positions or trap zones Qinglong Stronghold might have established.”
“Your Highness.”
Shouyang tried to dissuade him.
“Searching the mountains at night is extremely dangerous.”
“And we’ll likely alert the enemy.”
“I don’t care.”
Xiao Yu interrupted without hesitation.
“A-Li doesn’t have time to wait.”
He turned toward Shen Yi.
“Shen Yi.”
“You’ll remain behind and command the main camp.”
“Without my orders…”
“Do not make any rash moves.”
“Your Highness.”
Shen Yi’s expression changed.
“You’re going personally?”
“It’s too dangerous.”
“Let me lead the search instead.”
“No.”
Xiao Yu shook his head firmly.
“There is no alternative.”
“I must go.”
“You’ll stay here.”
Before Shen Yi could object again—
Xiao Yu had already seized his sword and a heavy cloak.
In one fluid motion, he mounted his horse.
Moments later…
his figure disappeared into the endless night.
Shouyang immediately signaled for their most elite shadow guards to follow at a distance, silently protecting him.
The mountain forests were cloaked in darkness and thick mist.
Danger lurked everywhere.
But Xiao Yu had only one thought in his mind—
Find A-Li.
And bring her home safely.