Chapter 104. Traveling Together.

The sky was filled with a dense blanket of white snow, which connected heaven and earth, and the whole world fell silent.

The snow continued to fall until the fourth day after New Year's Day, when it finally began to stop.

Physician Dou carried his medicine chest along the palace walls. He was old and walked very slowly. Because Qifeng Terrace was located at the southernmost part of the palace, quite a distance from the emperor's sleeping quarters and the Imperial Medical Bureau, the journey took quite some time.

Inside Qifeng Terrace, Zhong Changjun saw the newcomer and asked in surprise, "Why has Physician Dou come?"

Imperial Physician Dou: "Your Majesty is unwell. Since the last time I examined your pulse, you have not summoned this old minister to examine your pulse for several days. Today, I have come to do so."

He looked up and saw the staircase beside him spiraling upwards, one step after another, until it led to the pavilion at the top of the tower.

Seeing him take a step, Zhong Changjun hurriedly said, "Imperial Physician, don't be anxious. His Majesty's health has improved a lot. Out of consideration for you, there's no need for you to go up."

"This will not be allowed! His Majesty vomited blood on New Year's Day..."

Zhong Changjun forced a smile, hesitated, and said, "This..."

Imperial Physician Dou was truly puzzled. Zhong Changjun then explained, "His Majesty and the Empress are together."

Physician Dou also heard about this.

On New Year's Eve, the dispute between the Emperor and Empress caused quite a stir, and the Empress moved out of Changqiu Palace that very night. It was hard for rumors not to spread. But who would have thought that not long after, His Majesty would personally visit Qifeng Terrace.

The imperial physicians of the Imperial Medical Bureau worked in shifts every few days, but he was unaware that the emperor had been in this place for the past few days.

Physician Dou said, "Is it inconvenient now?"

Zhong Changjun nodded vigorously.

"Then this old minister will come again later."

“Later… I’m afraid that won’t work either.” Zhong Changjun stopped beating around the bush and pulled Doctor Dou back. “There are no official matters to attend to these days, so His Majesty has been staying at the Empress’s residence. It won’t work for the next few days.”

Morning, afternoon, evening... none of these times were suitable. Ever since the emperor impulsively decided to come to this pavilion that night, he had never left the Empress's palace, staying in the same place day and night.

The last time Zhong Changjun knocked on the door, wanting to go in and serve, he got into trouble.

Physician Dou understood immediately from the hint in his eyes.

Zhong Changjun: "However, I am indeed worried about His Majesty's health. I'm afraid His Majesty will harm his health."

Physician Dou smiled and said, "There is some, but there is no need to panic. His Majesty vomited blood that day because of the stagnation of heat in his chest and abdomen. It is not a serious matter. This is just a way to release some of that heat."

Zhong Changjun sighed.

Alas, what Imperial Physician Dou didn't know was that for several whole days, the Emperor and Empress hadn't left their rooms even once. They had dismissed all the other palace servants from the top of the tower, leaving only palace maids to go up every few hours to bring water or food, without entering the inner palace. But the palace maids would often come down with their faces flushed.

Physician Dou said, "His Majesty has always been in good health, so there is nothing to worry about. As for the Empress, I need to prescribe some medicine to nourish her body."

“Yes, yes.” Zhong Changjun nodded.

The heater crackled and burned as Zhong Changjun looked out the window at the pristine white snow. "This snowfall is really heavy," he remarked.

**

Birds have vanished from the mountains, and white snow blankets the azure peaks.

Meanwhile, in the wilderness a thousand miles away from Luoyang, a few days ago—

The north wind whipped up snowflakes, and in the vast expanse of heaven and earth, a dark figure sped off like an arrow. On this black steed lay a man dressed in black.

"Whoosh—" Several long arrows flew like lightning, and the soldiers guarding the man behind him fell to the ground.

He Lanyi gritted his teeth, his tight-fitting clothes already soaked in blood, and he had also been hit by two arrows in the back.

His jawline was taut and sharp, sweat mixed with blood splattering onto the horse's mane. Looking back, the figures of the pursuing soldiers were blurred, leaving only black dots, yet they followed him like shadows.

It's hateful that he was pecked by a hawk and can't even see his shadow clearly anymore.

The pursuers behind him said, "General Helan, please follow me back to Jincheng in Longxi. It is His Majesty's order!"

Several arrows flew through the air, grazing his body and embedding themselves firmly in the tree trunk beside him, their fletching still vibrating.

Helan Yi's eyes reddened, and he whipped his horse, urging it on without stopping: "Giddy up!"

The two groups entered the snow forest one after the other.

Just when Helan Yi thought he was going to die today, the snow on the road in the forest ahead gradually lessened.

The soldiers were able to track Helan Yi this far by following the hoofprints he left in the snow...

As the sun gradually sank in the east, a bright moon climbed over the mountain.

Moonlight spilled onto the outside of a secluded, abandoned hunter's house in a mountain valley. Several horses were parked in the yard, and shadows flickered in the windows of the house, emitting a dim, yellow glow from the oil lamp.

Inside the room, Helan Yi was lying face down on a simple wooden bed. His robes were undone, revealing his back, from which two shocking bloody holes were deeply embedded with arrows, and blood was still oozing out.

"Please bear with it, General, this arrow wound is really deep." The voice was steady; it belonged to Jiang Zhao, the deputy general beside Helan Yi. He held a small knife in his hand, intending to treat Helan Yi's wound.

A short while later, they finally shook off the soldiers and arrived at this deserted house.

He Lanyi's muscles contracted violently, veins bulged on his forehead, and large beads of sweat kept falling down. He was in excruciating pain and convulsed uncontrollably.

Finally, the arrow was pulled out. Jiang Zhao used strong liquor to clean the wound, apply medicine, and bandage it...

Helan Yi's body trembled incessantly. He raised his face, remaining silent. One eye was covered by a black visor, while the other eye was bloodshot and gleamed with a fierce and terrifying light.

None of the remaining followers dared to speak out.

He was helped to sit up slowly. “Today I am being hunted down and have come to this dead end. Others have abandoned me, but you all still follow me. I respect you all and ask you to accept my bow.”

He bowed deeply, his wounds tearing open and bleeding, staining the gauze red.

Everyone quickly helped him up, "General, you mustn't!"

Helan Yi said, "It was really my carelessness. I never expected that the emperor didn't just not want me to hold power, but wanted to make me disappear completely!"

“After the Emperor and Empress’s wedding, he sent an envoy with urgent news to announce to the world that the Empress had been chosen and invited me to the capital to be rewarded for my contributions. But soon after, he ordered me to stay on the frontier for the autumn border defense and to come to the capital after the autumn. This was a trap.”

Helan Yi raised his head, cold sweat trickling down his temples: "For a mere woman!"

Xiao Zhuo knew him too well. He used roundabout methods to lure him to the capital, making him lower his guard. Once in Luoyang, the people sent by the emperor would gradually gain access and dismantle his forces and influence in the northwest.

He Lanyi's aura of malevolence grew even stronger.

When exactly did Xiao Zhuo decide to kill?

It must be that Xiao Zhuo knew about Yuan Chaolu's past as a female slave in the Helan family long ago.

With a clang, a flash of cold light appeared as Helan Yi drew his longsword from the sword rack.

A cold sweat broke out among the crowd. "General!"

He Lanyi's fingertips traced the longsword. "Today I escaped from the jaws of death thanks to Xiao Zhuo's miscalculation. Heaven is on my side, and I will not fail to live up to its will!"

Jiang Zhao stepped forward: "The most urgent matter is, General, what are you going to do next? The border of Daqi has laid a trap, and they're still searching for you. It seems you won't be able to return! As for that traitor Ji An, what are your plans, General…?"

Helan Yi looked at his pale face reflected in the longsword, "How should the history books record the story of a king who is bewitched by a femme fatale and forced his ministers to flee the country?"

Such words are utterly treasonous, yet they carry a ruthless determination to burn one's bridges.

He glanced at the few remaining people around him and said, "If any of you are unwilling to follow me, you may leave."

Jiang Zhao said, "This humble general has followed you here without fear of death! If you wish to leave, you can do so when the Daqi army pursues you!"

The others also clasped their hands in a gesture of respect to show their allegiance.

"Please rest well tonight, General. We will move to another location at dawn tomorrow to hide for a while and wait until our injuries have healed before making any further plans."

Helan Yi said, "Alright, you all should rest well. Soon you will come with me to the northern frontier to capture Ji An."

The brother of the nation's queen mother is a bargaining chip, no matter where he is placed.

A deathly silence fell over the room. Helan Yi lowered his eyes, staring at the long sword. After a moment, he gritted his teeth and said—

"It's truly excruciating..."

**

Luoyang, Qifeng Terrace.

The sky was pitch black, and the night outside the window was as thick as ink.

A military report, delivered by express courier, traveled across the border and through snow-covered lands, taking several days to reach Luoyang, and finally arrived at the Emperor's desk tonight.

The messenger knelt on one knee and bowed to the ground. He had just dismounted and the snow on his body had not yet been wiped off.

Behind the desk sat a tall, slender figure, dressed in a single garment with a loosely draped fox fur coat over it. The candlelight cast a shadow on his high, straight nose.

Xiao Zhuo lifted his eyelids, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Still alive?"

"As Your Majesty commands, he is alive but seriously wounded, with only five soldiers remaining by his side. However, he is in the northern border region of Rong and should have spies and subordinates, though the exact number is unknown."

The emperor had secretly decreed that soldiers be stationed on Helan Yi's route back to the northwest to ambush and kill him, ensuring he was severely wounded but spared his life, giving him a chance to escape death...

Xiao Zhuo said, "From the border to Luoyang, I'm grateful for your hard work traveling through the night. How long will it take to reach the destination?"

"The road is covered in snow, so we need to take a detour. It will take at least ten days."

"Zhong Changjun, make the arrangements immediately."

The envoy and Zhong Changjun were both taken aback. "Your Majesty?"

Xiao Zhuo stared at the military report, his face illuminated by the ghostly fire. "I wish to personally go to the border."

"Are you going to the frontier?" The voice of the woman behind the screen rang out at the same time.

Yuan Chaolu stepped out from behind the screen, "The military report is so urgent, does it require you to personally go to the border?"

That sound...

Zhong Changjun did not recognize her at first. The Empress's voice sounded slightly hoarse compared to the previous few days, and her cheeks were flushed as if she had been suffering from lung heat.

General Xiao Zhuo reported to Zhong Changjun, "It is about Di Hu on the border."

Yuan Chaolu asked, "How is he? Is his method insufficient, and he hasn't managed to subdue those barbarians?"

"No, but I am indeed worried about those cities and plan to go there myself."

Yuan Chaolu gazed at the military report in Zhong Changjun's hand, relieved that Di Hu hadn't made a mistake. For days, she had been confined to her bed by Xiao Zhuo; now that he was leaving, she wouldn't have to see him, which was a relief, but…

Yuan Chaolu said, "If you go to Longxi, I will go too."

Xiao Zhuo looked over upon hearing this.

Before leaving the Northwest, Yuan Chaolu vowed that if he could, he would never set foot on his homeland again...

However, her younger brother was missing, far away in an enemy country, and even burdened with the crime of "treason," which could be exposed at any time. Yuan Chaolu secretly sent several groups of people to investigate, but all came to nothing. The news of her brother's whereabouts was firmly in Helan Yi's hands, and no one else knew it except him.

If she stays in Luoyang, she will never be able to address this matter. How can she give up the opportunity to return to the Northwest?

She and Xiao Zhuo were still arguing. Even though they had a few close private interactions, could the traces of their argument on New Year's Eve really be ignored?

No.

But Yuan Chaolu still said, "I want to accompany Your Majesty on the journey to the frontier."

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The author's note: These past few days, both the emperor and empress have been filled with hatred.

Transition map! Red envelopes are dropping in this chapter!