The envoy sent to Qinglong Stronghold to negotiate their surrender had returned, bringing a clear answer.
“Your Highness,” he reported, “Qinglong Stronghold has rejected the offer of amnesty. Their attitude is unwavering. They said their chieftain and everyone in the stronghold would rather live freely in the mountains than submit to the imperial court.”
Xie Yan did not seem surprised. Calmly, he pointed at the map of the mountains spread across the table.
“As expected. They occupy favorable terrain and still harbor hopes of holding out. They were never going to surrender so easily.”
His long fingers traced the map before stopping over several smaller peaks surrounding Qinglong Stronghold.
“Your Highness, a direct assault on the main stronghold is not our best option. Instead, we should first cut off its wings and break its claws.”
“The Young General’s meaning is…?” the disguised “Xiao Yu” asked, lowering her gaze to the map.
“According to our scouts, while Qinglong Stronghold is powerful, several smaller bandit camps in the surrounding mountains are affiliated with it. We should dispatch troops to eliminate those outer strongholds first.”
His hand closed over the main peak of Qinglong Mountain.
“Then seal every route leading down the mountain, turning Qinglong Stronghold into an isolated island. Their food reserves cannot be endless. Given enough time, unrest will inevitably arise from within.”
The strategy was ruthless, mature, and astonishingly sophisticated—far beyond what one would expect from a seventeen-year-old commander. Yet it was undeniably effective.
Shen Yi nodded repeatedly.
“Excellent plan, Young General Xie! That’s exactly what we should do! Let’s see how long they can hold out!”
The disguised “Xiao Yu” studied the map, inwardly acknowledging how brilliant Xie Yan’s strategy truly was.
Against an ordinary mountain fortress, it would have worked perfectly.
Unfortunately for him, Qinglong Stronghold was anything but ordinary.
Under her careful management, the fortress had long prepared for such a siege. Crops were cultivated within the valley, livestock were raised, hidden underground granaries had been dug, and several secret mountain paths remained known only to a handful of trusted people.
A prolonged blockade posed no immediate threat.
As for those smaller satellite camps, many were poorly disciplined, and some even preyed upon innocent villagers in secret. Letting Xie Yan wipe them out would save her the trouble of dealing with them herself later.
With that thought, she looked up at him and nodded approvingly.
“Young General Xie’s plan is thorough. We shall proceed accordingly.”
She immediately issued her orders.
“Shen Yi, coordinate with General Xie. Mobilize the troops at once. Clear out every bandit camp surrounding Qinglong Stronghold, sever all contact with the outside world, and place the stronghold under complete siege.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Shen Yi accepted the order enthusiastically.
Xie Yan cupped his fists.
“I will not fail Your Highness.”
The plan was quickly put into motion. The army split into several detachments and marched against the smaller bandit camps surrounding Qinglong Stronghold.
At the very same time…
No one noticed a small gray sparrow quietly fluttering out from behind the Crown Prince’s command tent.
A tiny bamboo tube was tied to one of its legs as it disappeared toward Qinglong Stronghold.
Inside Qinglong Stronghold, Qing Ren received the message.
After reading the note, he relaxed.
Since the Chieftain had already anticipated everything, all they had to do was hold the fortress.
He immediately ordered tighter security, opened the internal granaries, and instructed the women and elderly to continue farming and tending livestock in preparation for a lengthy siege.
A shadow slipped through the darkness like a ghost, avoiding every sentry without making a sound.
Moving with astonishing speed, the figure concealed blocks of salt and medicine inside a hidden compartment disguised as an ordinary boulder.
It was one of several secret supply caches she had arranged with the spies inside the army.
Once finished, the shadow vanished as silently as it had come, leaving no trace behind.
Lying upon the Crown Prince’s bed inside the command tent, “Xiao Yu” stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep.
Outside, the camp bustled with military activity.
Inside, her heart remained perfectly calm.
Xie Yan’s siege strategy was excellent.
Unfortunately…
She was the true master of these mountains.
She was curious to see which would happen first—
Would the imperial army exhaust its patience and supplies?
Or would Xie Yan discover the weakness that simply did not exist?
The purple blossoms hung in full bloom, cascading like waterfalls beneath the wooden trellis and filling the air with a delicate fragrance.
Xiao Yu stood beneath the flowers, brows slightly furrowed in thought.
Everything about Qinglong Stronghold defied expectation.
Order reigned throughout the settlement.
The people lived peacefully.
In truth, it was governed even better than many ordinary villages under imperial rule.
Its inhabitants revered their mysterious Chieftain almost like a deity.
With her present, they believed nothing could shake them.
Yet whenever the imperial court was mentioned, conversations would abruptly cease, replaced by unmistakable fear—or even hatred.
This was no ordinary bandit stronghold.
Who exactly was this woman?
How had she united what should have been a rabble into such a disciplined community within only a year?
Why had she become an enemy of the court?
As he struggled to find answers, a gentle female voice called from behind him.
Though soft and melodious, it carried the unmistakable weakness of someone in poor health.
“Ali? You’re back? Why are you standing out here instead of coming inside?”
The name Ali struck Xiao Yu like a thunderbolt.
He spun around.
At the far end of the wisteria-covered walkway stood a simply dressed young woman leaning lightly against a doorway.
It was Cai Ling.
After seeing his face clearly, she froze in confusion before breaking into a smile of realization.
Covering her mouth, she coughed softly before speaking again.
“Ah… my apologies. My eyesight isn’t what it used to be. I mistook you for someone else.”
She looked him over, remembering the rumors spreading through the stronghold.
“You must be the guest Ali brought back.”
Xiao Yu’s heart pounded violently.
Ali?
She had called him Ali?
Why?
Unless…
Before he could process the thought, an anxious shout interrupted.
“Ling’er! Why are you outside?”
Qing Ren hurried over, immediately supporting Cai Ling with obvious concern before glaring warily at Xiao Yu.
“The wind’s too strong. Let’s get you back inside.”
Without another word, he lifted Cai Ling into his arms and carried her indoors, shutting the door firmly behind them.
Left alone beneath the flowering arbor, Xiao Yu stood frozen.
His body felt numb.
Ali…
The guest she brought back…
The Chieftain was a woman…
The Chieftain had never shown herself…
Ali had conveniently helped them achieve several victories…
Ali had conveniently disappeared during reconnaissance…
Then he himself had been captured…
Every clue…
Every inconsistency…
The name Ali suddenly fit them all together like shattered pieces of a mirror.
The girl he had rescued from the alley…
The girl who had guided him through the mountains…
The girl he had risked everything to search for…
She…
She had been the mastermind all along.
She was the mysterious Chieftain of Qinglong Stronghold.
The one who had manipulated him from beginning to end.
Shock.
Betrayal.
Heartbreak.
An indescribable terror swept over him.
He wandered back to his room in a daze, his steps unsteady, his thoughts blank.
Collapsing into a chair beside the table, he buried his face in his hands, desperately trying to comprehend the cruel truth.
Why?
Why had she done this?
If she had always been the Chieftain…
Why disguise herself as a beggar and approach him?
To toy with him?
To gather intelligence about the imperial campaign?
And if she had captured him…
Why spare his life?
Why treat him with such courtesy?
What…
What did she truly want?
His thoughts were in complete disarray.
He suddenly rose and began pacing the room restlessly.
His arm accidentally swept against the corner of the writing desk.
Click.
A faint mechanical sound came from the bookshelf.
Xiao Yu froze.
Turning sharply, he saw a tiny hidden compartment spring open from the side of the shelf.
Something lay inside.
His heartbeat quickened.
An overwhelming instinct drew him closer.
The moment he looked inside—
He stopped breathing.
Resting quietly within the compartment was half of a jade pendant.
Its color.
Its texture.
Its intricate carving.
Everything was identical to the half he had always carried close to his heart.
Except…
This was the Phoenix Pendant.
His hands trembled as he lifted it from its hiding place.
Though cool to the touch, it burned against his palm.
Slowly—almost reverently—he withdrew his own Dragon Pendant from inside his robes.
He carefully fitted the two halves together.
They matched perfectly.
Without the slightest gap.
Whole.
Complete.
His fingers tightened around the reunited pendant.
The cold jade dug painfully into his palm, yet the pain was insignificant compared to the storm raging within his heart.
Every mystery.
Every inconsistency.
Every unanswered question—
Was suddenly illuminated.
Why had Ali’s eyes always felt so strangely familiar?
Why had he instinctively wanted to protect her?
Why had he felt such inexplicable closeness toward someone he had barely known?
His little sister…
The sister he had searched for all these years…
The little girl who had once sweetly called him “Brother.”
She hadn’t died in the assassination attempt.
She had survived…
Only to become this—
The feared leader of an outlaw stronghold.
What…
What had she endured over these past six years?
What could have transformed her into the calculating, inscrutable woman who would even deceive her own brother?
She had remained at his side all this time.
Watching him worry for her.
Watching him risk his life searching for her.
Yet she had never once acknowledged him.
His heart clenched so tightly he could scarcely breathe.
Did she truly hate him that much?
Enough to choose life as an outlaw…
Enough to oppose the imperial court…
Enough to refuse returning to him—
To the home that had once belonged to her?
The clues had been everywhere.
Yet blinded by the identity of “Ali,” he had never dared imagine the impossible truth.
An overwhelming sense of guilt washed over him.
He had failed to protect her.
He had allowed her to be lost.
To suffer.
To become the person she was now.
And even after finding her…
He still hadn’t recognized her.
“Li’er… Ali…”
He whispered both names.
His voice cracked with unbearable grief and confusion.
The night was deep.
Torches crackled in the darkness.
Sword in hand, Xie Yan practiced alone beneath the firelight.
His blade flashed like snow.
His movements flowed like a dragon through the clouds.
Every strike split the air with fierce precision, as though he were venting the frustration that had been building within him for days.
The disguised “Xiao Yu” approached quietly and stood at the edge of the field.
She needed to learn Xie Yan’s swordsmanship.
Know your enemy.
After completing the final form, Xie Yan lowered his sword and steadied his breathing.
Turning toward the “Crown Prince,” he spoke clearly.
“Your Highness seems to be in a leisurely mood tonight. I’ve long heard of Your Highness’s exceptional swordsmanship. Might I have the honor of receiving your guidance?”
The disguised “Xiao Yu” considered briefly.
Xie Yan had never crossed blades with the real Xiao Yu.
This was the perfect chance to gauge the young general’s true abilities.
She nodded.
“Very well. A little exercise won’t hurt.”
Taking a sword from a nearby soldier, she stepped into position opposite him.
Steel met steel.
Ali carefully imitated Xiao Yu’s style—steady, dignified, emphasizing solid defense and measured offense.
Xie Yan’s technique, by contrast, was aggressive and razor-sharp.
But after only a dozen exchanges…
His brow furrowed deeper.
The “Crown Prince’s” swordsmanship looked correct.
Yet something subtle felt off.
The way force was generated.
The rhythm.
The minute transitions.
It was like an impeccable copy of a masterpiece.
Every detail was there—
But somehow…
Its soul was missing.
Just as suspicion began taking root—
A sharp whistle cut through the night.
Something shot toward “Xiao Yu’s” face from the side.
Her instincts reacted instantly.
Clang!
A steel folding fan was knocked flying through the air.
Shen Yi stepped from the shadows.
His expression was darker than it had ever been.
Gone were his usual playful smiles.
His eyes fixed coldly upon the disguised Crown Prince.
“Your Highness has remarkable reflexes,” he said.
“But… that defensive technique looked suspiciously like the crafty tricks of a wandering martial artist.”
The moment he finished speaking—
Torches burst to life all around the training ground.
Soldiers emerged from every direction, completely surrounding the arena.
Ali instantly realized the situation had turned against her.
Nevertheless, she remained outwardly calm.
“Shen Yi. Xie Yan.”
She looked from one to the other.
“What is the meaning of this?”
“Are you planning to rebel?”
Shen Yi sneered.
“Rebel?”
“I should be asking who you really are.”
He advanced step by step, fury barely contained.
“Today, after we captured Black Wind Stronghold, its chieftain revealed something very interesting.”
“The missing Chieftain of Qinglong Stronghold was said to possess extraordinary martial arts…”
“And one unmatched talent.”
“She could imitate anyone.”
“Especially through the art of disguise.”
Xie Yan slowly raised his sword.
“Your Highness’s behavior has indeed been subtly different these past few days.”
“Just now, your swordsmanship resembled His Highness’s…”
“But it lacked the unmistakable bearing of the Eastern Palace.”
Shen Yi finally exploded.
“Speak!”
“Where is the real Crown Prince?!”
“What have you done to him?!”
Surrounded from every side, “Xiao Yu” showed no trace of panic.
Instead…
She laughed.
The laugh no longer belonged to the calm Crown Prince.
It carried something wild.
Something mocking.
“Him?”
Tilting her head, she answered lightly,
“He’s at my Qinglong Stronghold… as a guest.”
“Don’t worry.”
“I’ve treated him… far better than you’ve treated me.”
“You—!”
Shen Yi roared in fury.
“You’re courting death!”
He charged forward, another steel fan already in his hand.
Though Ali’s martial arts were exceptional, facing Shen Yi’s furious assault and Xie Yan’s composed attacks simultaneously quickly placed her at a disadvantage.
She could only defend.
Shen Yi pressed relentlessly.
His attacks came like crashing waves.
“Speak!”
“Who are you?!”
“Why impersonate His Highness?!”
She deflected one of Xie Yan’s strikes before twisting aside to evade Shen Yi’s fan.
Her breathing had begun to quicken.
As Shen Yi lunged again—
She stepped back half a pace.
Her voice suddenly changed.
The calm masculine tone vanished.
In its place came her own familiar female voice, playful and teasing.
“Who am I?”
“Has it only been a few days, Young Master Shen?”
“And you’ve already forgotten me?”
The familiar voice struck Shen Yi like lightning.
His movements froze.
His face filled with utter disbelief.
“You…”
“You’re Ali?”
That brief moment of hesitation was all Ali needed.
A cold glint flashed through her eyes.
She seized the fleeting opening.
Slash!
Shen Yi’s shoulder was sliced open.
His clothing split apart as fresh blood burst from the wound.
He grunted in pain and staggered backward.
“Shen Yi!”
Xie Yan rushed toward him in alarm.
The instant his attention shifted—
Ali wasted no time.
She hurled a small black pellet onto the ground.
Bang!
Dense white smoke exploded outward, instantly engulfing the entire training ground and obscuring everyone’s vision.
“Careful!”
“The smoke is poisonous!”
Xie Yan shouted as he immediately held his breath and retreated.
The soldiers erupted into chaos.
Coughing.
Shouting.
Confusion filled the night.
By the time the smoke had begun to clear…
The fake Crown Prince had already vanished.
Only Shen Yi, clutching his bleeding shoulder…
Xie Yan, his face dark with anger…
And a crowd of stunned soldiers remained.
Covering his wound, Shen Yi stared blankly in the direction Ali had escaped.
His face was pale—whether from blood loss or rage, even he could not tell.
He murmured in disbelief,
“Ali…”
“She was…”
“The Chieftain of Qinglong Stronghold?”
“She’d been right beside us all along?”
Night had fallen.
Candlelight flickered softly.
Ali stumbled back into the stronghold.
A shallow wound across her shoulder continued to seep blood.
After hastily treating it, she changed into her usual black attire and donned a silver half-mask that concealed the upper half of her face, leaving only her well-defined jawline and those eyes so remarkably similar to Xiao Yu’s exposed.
She immediately summoned Qing Ren.
Spreading a prepared map of the imperial army’s supply depots across the table, she tapped several locations where the defenses were weakest.
Though weakened by blood loss, her voice remained firm and decisive.
“Xie Yan wants to starve us out.”
“Then we’ll burn his food first.”
“Qing Ren.”
“Take a handful of our best men. Follow the marked routes.”
“At midnight tonight, set every one of these supply points ablaze.”
“Move fast.”
“Strike and withdraw.”
“Do not linger to fight.”
“Yes, Chieftain!”
Qing Ren accepted the order.
Seeing her pale complexion and the blood staining her shoulder, he wanted to say something—but ultimately swallowed his concern and left to make preparations.
Only after finishing her orders did the throbbing pain in her shoulder truly register.
Taking a slow breath, she suppressed the discomfort.
For reasons she herself couldn’t explain…
She found herself wanting to check on the “honored guest” she had brought back to the mountain.
Walking along the stone paths of the stronghold, she overheard several night watchmen whispering nearby.
Their voices carried clearly through the quiet night.
“Hey, have you heard?”
“The fellow Chieftain brought back… unbelievably handsome.”
“Exactly! They say he’s been staying in Chieftain’s own room every day without causing any trouble.”
“I’d say becoming the Chieftain’s husband is practically certain now!”
“Our Chieftain’s powerful, capable… what’s wrong with abducting herself a handsome husband?”
“Right? I think the two of them make quite the pair…”
Ali stopped mid-step.
Beneath her mask, one eyebrow shot upward.
Husband?
A perfect match?
These people seriously had too much free time.
She almost barked at them to shut up.
Instead, she only shook her head with a mixture of disbelief and amusement before continuing onward.
When she reached the room—
Xiao Yu was seated beneath the lamplight, quietly reading a book.
The warm glow softened his sharply defined profile.
Long lashes cast gentle shadows across his face.
He radiated a calm, refined elegance utterly out of place within a mountain fortress.
And yet…
The scene was strangely beautiful.
He looked…
Remarkably comfortable here.
For some inexplicable reason…
That irritated her.
Remembering the rumors she’d just heard, a mischievous idea surfaced.
Lowering her voice into a rough, raspy drawl befitting a bandit, she leaned casually against the doorway.
“Well now~”
“Your Highness seems to be settling in quite nicely.”
“Could it be you’ve truly accepted becoming my stronghold husband?”
She expected embarrassment.
Outrage.
At the very least, awkwardness.
Instead—
Xiao Yu slowly closed the book.
He looked up at her calmly.
Only the slight tightening of his fingers around the scroll betrayed the emotion beneath his composed exterior.
His gaze pierced straight through her mask.
His voice remained as gentle as she remembered.
Yet somehow…
It reached straight into her heart.
“Does Ali…”
“Want me to become part of her family?”
The teasing smile on Ali’s face froze instantly.
Her entire body stiffened.
He…
He knew?
How?
When?
She instinctively straightened, disbelief and the panic of being exposed flashing across her face.
But she forced herself to calm down.
Walking into the room, she shut the door behind her.
With feigned casualness, she sat beside the table, picked up the teacup Xiao Yu had just been using without the slightest hesitation, and poured herself tea.
“There are many ways to become family, Your Highness.”
She sipped leisurely, eyes dancing with provocation.
“For instance…”
“If Your Highness is willing to put on bright red wedding robes…”
“Live here in Qinglong Stronghold forever…”
“Become my husband and raise children for me…”
“That would make quite the romantic tale, wouldn’t it?”
Instead of reacting with humiliation or anger as she’d hoped—
Xiao Yu simply watched her.
Watched the false ease masking her obvious tension.
Then he sighed softly.
He stood.
Walked toward her.
Stopped so close they could feel each other’s breath.
His voice became low and impossibly gentle, as though afraid to frighten something fragile.
“Or…”
“Li’er…”
“Would you be willing to acknowledge me as your brother?”
“Pfft—!”
“Cough! Cough—!”
Ali sprayed the mouthful of tea she hadn’t yet swallowed, choking violently.
Doubling over in a fit of coughing, she stared at Xiao Yu as though he were some incomprehensible monster.
The practiced smile she always wore shattered completely.
Only stunned disbelief remained.
Xiao Yu’s gaze was unbearably gentle.
Filled with sorrow.
With acceptance.
With unconditional love.
For one fleeting instant—
The years melted away.
She was no longer the feared Chieftain of Qinglong Stronghold.
She was once again the little girl who had run crying into her brother’s embrace whenever she fell.
And her brother had always comforted her with the gentlest voice, wiping away every tear.
Without realizing it—
She almost surrendered to that warmth.
Almost nodded.
But at that exact instant—
Xue Ji’s hoarse, venomous voice tore through her mind.
“That filthy, hideous true self of yours…”
“They’ll only find you disgusting.”
“They’ll fear you.”
“Despise you.”
“They’d abandon you all over again.”
“Qing Lan…”
“Your heart has always been too soft.”
“Give you the tiniest bit of kindness…”
“And you’ll remember it for a lifetime.”
No.
She couldn’t weaken.
She was no longer the helpless little girl who needed protection.
She was Qing Lan.
She was Ali.
Her hands were stained with blood.
She commanded an army of outlaws.
Affection.
Promises.
Family.
Those things were lies.
Only strength…
Only control…
Were real.
The hesitation vanished from her face.
Only cold indifference remained.
Turning her head slightly to avoid those unbearably gentle eyes, she spoke in an icy voice.
“Your Highness.”
“What family?”
“What promise?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”