After a long silence, Xiao Che finally spoke again.
“Xie Yan. Shen Yi. During these recent raids, has that woman, A’Li, ever taken the field herself?”
Xie Yan immediately answered,
“Reporting to Your Majesty, she has not. Every raid has been led by her subordinate captains and ordinary bandits. She has never appeared in person.”
Xiao Che’s fingertips tapped lightly against the desk, producing a slow, rhythmic sound.
“In that case… she remains safely behind the lines.”
He paused.
“Is there any way to force her to make a move herself?”
Shen Yi and Xie Yan exchanged helpless glances before shaking their heads.
Xie Yan answered in a deep voice,
“Your Majesty, this woman is extraordinarily cunning. She excels at concealment and exploiting the terrain. It almost seems…”
“…as though she has no interest whatsoever in confronting us head-on.”
Even saying those words filled him with humiliation.
Shen Yi’s face darkened with anger.
“She simply thinks we’re beneath her notice!”
“It’s an outright insult!”
Xiao Che made no comment on the supposed insult.
An emperor cared about results far more than wounded pride.
Instead, he turned toward Shen Changliu and Xie Qiu, who had remained deep in thought.
“What do the two of you think?”
Shen Changliu pondered for a moment before a sharp glint flashed through his eyes.
“Your Majesty, something has been troubling me.”
“Our army has surrounded Qinglong Stronghold for over a month. Judging by the number of people inside, even if they had stockpiled provisions beforehand…”
“…where are they obtaining fresh supplies?”
“They remain as steady as a mountain, showing not the slightest sign of panic.”
“Something is clearly amiss.”
He paused before pointing toward the mountains behind Qinglong Stronghold.
“I suspect there are hidden tunnels within the mountain.”
“They likely lead outside—or to some concealed location—allowing them to transport food and supplies, and perhaps even serve as escape routes in times of crisis.”
Xie Qiu slapped his thigh heavily.
“The Duke speaks wisely!”
“I’ve found it strange myself!”
“Every time those little bastards launch a raid, they disappear back into the forest almost instantly, as though they know every blade of grass on this mountain.”
“Our men, unfamiliar with the terrain and wary of ambushes, dare not pursue too deeply.”
“That’s precisely why they’ve become so brazen.”
Walking over to the map, he pointed at the dense forests surrounding Qinglong Stronghold.
“Your Majesty, the reason they come and go so freely is because they rely on these forests and this complicated terrain.”
“They’re counting on us not daring to venture inside.”
He clasped his fists.
“This old minister proposes a two-pronged approach.”
“First, immediately dispatch additional men to secretly search for any hidden tunnel exits behind the mountain. Once found, seal them off completely and cut off their lifeline.”
“And second…”
His voice became forceful.
“Openly organize a large workforce.”
“Select the strongest soldiers in the army and equip them with axes.”
“Starting from the outer perimeter, cut down every tree that could conceal enemy forces.”
“Clear roads through the forest.”
“It will make movement easier for our army…”
“…and we’ll see whether they’re willing to come out and stop us.”
He glanced toward the Emperor before adding,
“Since His Highness the Crown Prince is still inside the stronghold, we should refrain from using fire attacks for the time being.”
After hearing both ministers’ suggestions, approval flickered across Xiao Che’s eyes.
Shen Changliu had identified the key weakness with meticulous insight.
Xie Qiu’s strategy balanced caution with decisive offense.
“Approved.”
Xiao Che gave the order without the slightest hesitation.
“Xie Yan. Shen Yi.”
“Present!”
Both men immediately straightened.
“The search for the hidden tunnels shall be under Xie Yan’s command.”
“Mobilize every available man.”
“Search day and night.”
“And don’t be afraid to make the operation highly visible.”
“If the bandits come to interfere…”
A cold light flashed through Xiao Che’s eyes.
“General Xie will dispatch elite troops to protect the work crews.”
“Take the opportunity to eliminate them.”
“Show no mercy.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
“This general will make sure none of them return alive!”
Shen Yi cracked his knuckles eagerly.
At last.
A chance for a straightforward fight.
“The two of you,” Xiao Che said to Shen Changliu and Xie Qiu, “I leave overall command of the campaign and the defense of the main camp in your hands.”
“We obey Your Majesty’s decree.”
The two veteran ministers answered in unison.
One order after another was swiftly and efficiently relayed throughout the army.
Xiao Che’s gaze settled in the direction of Qinglong Stronghold.
His eyes were impossibly deep.
A’Li…
Whether you are Li’er or not…
This time… I will not let you escape so easily.
A secluded clearing deep in the mountains.
Dark clouds blanketed the sky.
It perfectly matched A’Li’s mood.
Her sword moved faster…
And faster…
Each strike more frantic than the last.
A narrow alley.
Filthy water flowed through the gutters.
The stench was overwhelming.
Seven- or eight-year-old Xiao Li, little more than skin and bones and caked in grime, desperately clutched half of a moldy steamed bun she had wrestled away from a wild dog.
She stuffed it frantically into her mouth.
“Mother, look!”
“That person’s fighting a dog over a rotten bun!”
A little boy in a clean cotton jacket pointed at her, his childish voice filled with curiosity.
“Hurry.”
“Don’t look.”
“She’s filthy.”
The woman beside him wrinkled her nose in disgust and hurriedly pulled her son away.
Little Xiao Li silently chewed the sour, spoiled bun.
She had long since grown numb to such things.
Suddenly…
A shadow fell over her.
A tall man stood before her.
Half of his face was hidden beneath an eerie mask, concealing everything above his nose.
Only his sharply defined jaw and a pair of bottomless, unreadable eyes remained visible.
He looked down at her…
As though observing an interesting young beast on the brink of death.
Then he slowly bent down.
A clean, slender hand extended toward her.
A gentle-looking smile curved his lips.
“Little one.”
“You’ve got spirit.”
“Would you like to come with me?”
“At the very least…”
“…you’ll have clean food to eat.”
Little Xiao Li stared blankly at the outstretched hand…
Then at the man himself.
She didn’t know who he was.
Nor what following him would mean.
She was simply…
Too hungry.
Too cold.
Too terrified that, in the next moment, she’d either be torn apart by wild dogs…
…or freeze…
…or starve to death in this foul alley.
Almost without hesitation…
She raised her tiny hand—so filthy its original skin color could no longer be seen—and, trembling…
Placed it into his clean hand.
A’Li’s sword grew even more violent.
Every strike bordered on madness.
He had indeed given her shelter.
A roof over her head.
Clothes.
Food.
A place safe from the wind and rain.
But the price he demanded…
Was unimaginably cruel.
Before others…
He was Xue Ji, the mysterious and powerful Master of the Nether Pavilion.
She was Qinglan, the gifted young successor he personally favored.
Behind closed doors…
She was nothing more than a toy.
Something to amuse him when he was in a good mood…
Something to beat and vent his anger on when he wasn’t.
The icy sting of the whip.
Heavy fists and kicks.
Relentless humiliation.
That was her everyday life.
One day, smiling pleasantly, he pressed a dagger into her hand.
Then forced her to kill the first “target”—
A bound prisoner utterly incapable of resisting.
He watched her vomit.
Watched her break down.
Then smiled and said,
“See?”
“It’s simple.”
“From now on…”
“…you’re just like me.”
Then came a second.
A third.
And countless more.
He pushed her into an abyss drenched in blood.
He stained her once-pure eyes with slaughter.
He intended to forge her…
Into the most obedient…
The sharpest…
And the blade that could never stand in the light.
Sword light flashed like streams of silver, tearing through the air.
Each strike carried overwhelming killing intent…
And unbearable pain.
It wasn’t that she had never thought of escaping.
Countless nights, her body covered in bruises and wounds from his abuse…
She would curl up alone in a corner.
The only warm refuge she could still remember…
Was the imperial palace that had already become hazy in her memories.
The embrace of her father…
Her mother…
And her elder brother.