flying snow

Looking out the window, a large cloud of green smoke rose above the black tiles and red walls of the East Palace. The sounds of firecrackers, music and laughter made the palace people passing by look back frequently.

As usual, the Emperor and Empress were summoned to the Eastern Palace to read birthday congratulations to the Crown Prince. A Jiao napped alone on a recliner, awaiting Liu Che's return. A gentle drizzle fell, and before she knew it, a large group of raven-colored horses had arrived at the palace gates, ready to march straight in.

The color of blood filled the entire palace. The blood mixed with rainwater seeped into the ground, spreading along the soil to the crabapple tree, nourishing it to sprout...

She was awakened by the panicked sounds outside. The palace maids were fleeing in all directions. The gate of Jianzhang Palace was full of fighting soldiers. For a moment, the flowers and plants withered and corpses were scattered on the streets.

"What's going on?"

She grabbed a palace servant who had fallen by and scrambled to his feet, patting his clothes. "The King of Huainan... The King of Huainan's men are breaking in. He's trying to rebel! Find a place to hide quickly. They're killing anyone they catch."

The palace maid ran away. She saw the strange soldiers who had just killed people walking towards her. She hurriedly ran into the inner hall, brought out tables and chairs, blocked the door from the inside, and then prepared to go down to the secret passage inside.

At that moment, a pair of hands suddenly landed on her shoulders, causing her legs to weaken and nearly collapse. She didn't dare turn around, the scorching heat from the palms of her hands radiating from her shoulders making her tremble. After a moment, she spoke in a hoarse voice, "You... I'll give you whatever you want. Don't... don't kill me."

"Ah Jiao, I'm here to save you."

A familiar voice came from behind her. She shuddered all over, and at the same time she breathed a sigh of relief, then collapsed on the ground, holding her chest.

The man also walked in front of her, knelt on one knee, and stroked the hair on the back of her head. His eyes roamed over her face inch by inch, filled with infinite attachment and passion. He had endured for so long, and finally saw her. Finally, she could return to his arms.

He hugged her tightly. Gillian gradually came back to her senses. Her chest felt heavy from being held captive. She pushed him, "Are you from the East Palace? Are you okay? Your Majesty... Where are the Crown Prince and the others?"

"Are you concerned about Liu Che?"

He didn't even address Liu Che as "Your Majesty," which she found odd, but given the critical situation, she didn't dwell on it. It was perfectly normal for Huo Changqing to harbor resentment towards the emperor, especially since she had instigated it. She only hated him for not being able to go one step further, confront Liu Che, fight for him, anger him, and bring punishment upon the Wei family. Even if he couldn't, he wouldn't be able to be reused.

So she pretended to be indignant and sad. "That dog emperor is despicable and shameless. He is unworthy of being the emperor. His death is not a pity! But I am worried that we can't escape Liu An's encirclement."

"Liu An's group consisted of only 10,000 men. To avoid attracting attention, he hurried into the palace. There were only 3,000 men inside the palace who broke through the gates. The reinforcements were still outside the city, so their arrival at this time was nothing to be feared."

She breathed a sigh of relief and took his hand, "Then let's go now."

She took his hand and stealthily opened the window. "I don't see anyone here. I just saw the palace maids all heading west. There seems to be a river there. Let's go out along the river..."

She tugged at him, but found him standing still. She turned around and saw a faint smile on Huo Changqing's face. She had an ominous premonition in her heart. Something was wrong, something was wrong——

If he had come out of the fighting in the East Palace, how could he be so clean, without a drop of blood on his body? He was so familiar with Liu An's military deployment that he even knew when the reinforcements would depart and arrive. Outside, the Yulin Guards were killed one after another, but his face did not show any panic, and he was calm and composed.

The smile on his face made her heart tremble.

Huo Changqing lowered his head and watched her loosen her hand, which had been tightly held just now. The warmth slipped away from his palm. He held her hand again. It was a little wet and sticky. He realized that she was afraid.

"Rest well here. No one will hurt you. This war will subside soon, and then we can go home. No one can separate us anymore."

He looked at her deeply, his eyes gentle. A crack appeared on Gillian's calm face. "Are you in cahoots with the King of Huainan? Were you the one who met him here and led him into the palace? Are you crazy?"

She had thought he would confront Liu Che, force his way into the palace, or kneel at the palace gate and make the incident public. She would then feign loyalty to him, pretending to love him madly, which would then incite his disgust, leading him to kill him and vent his anger on the Wei family. But this was the most she could imagine of him.

A momentary fit of anger led to an unforeseen outcome; that was the nature of youth. But she had never imagined that he would collude with Liu An, intending to kill Liu Che and take her back once and for all...

"How many people will die in this palace coup? Didn't you see those innocent palace maids lying on the ground covered in blood? Huo Changqing, don't you claim to care about the common people and want to kill all the invading Xiongnu so that the people of the Han Dynasty will no longer suffer? The people far away in the borderlands can't bear it, so how can you watch the people in front of you being slaughtered by Liu An?

Besides, Liu An is ambitious, and the Wei family is deeply connected to Liu Che. To eradicate the roots, who knows if he won't destroy the bridge after crossing it and abandon the donkey after it's done its work? "When Liu Che's empress and crown prince are dead, do you think we can still escape?"

Her face was filled with shock and anger, as if she were scolding a child who knew nothing. Huo Changqing lowered his eyes, and the thin layer of ice in his eyes seemed to loosen.

"My aunt is a devout believer in gods and Buddhas. She often tells me that no matter what we do, we must be respectful, because gods and Buddhas are watching over us. Evil deeds will be punished, and good deeds will be rewarded. After a hundred years, the more good deeds you do, the more you will be able to enter the Pure Land of Bliss, the supreme heaven."

She felt his palm was a little cold, and thinking of Wei Yun's so-called good deeds, she sneered, "You aunt and niece are really exactly the same, with a snake heart and a Buddha's mouth."

"I have always been utterly loyal to the gods. When my mother was gravely ill, I made a vow to the Immortal, willing to shave ten years off my own life, leaving her ten months on earth. She survived the night and indeed lived ten months longer. Every time my uncle went off to war, I prayed for a year of my life in exchange for his safe return. He went on thirty-two expeditions, triumphing each time despite the peril, narrowly escaping death. He treated me like a brother and a father, and I never felt any reluctance to sacrifice my life for his safety, until this time, before leaving. I did not pray for him again, I prayed for myself.

I prayed to the Immortal to bless me to return unharmed and safe, because I knew someone was waiting for me. For the first time, my heart felt attached, a little heavy, but I was very happy.

He raised his head and looked at her with a smile. A strange look appeared in her expression, as if she was looking at a weirdo, with confusion and shock, as if the person in front of her was something she had never seen before.

"In the desert, I saw a small group of Xiongnu soldiers searching for water on a nearby mountain. I knew they were trying to lure the enemy, but I still chased them relentlessly with dozens of men. They thought they had me trapped, and countless arrows shot at me. Knives grazed my neck, but I managed to survive by stepping on their corpses.

I know you want wealth and honor. I can give you whatever you want. As long as I survive this battle, I will be a great general respected by everyone. I will be qualified to succeed my uncle. I will support the world in his place. My name and the name of Huo Changqing's wife will be recorded in history books forever!"

"Then why do you still want to rebel?!"

The chaos of things tangled in her mind made it almost impossible for her to think. She interrupted him sharply, her eyes filled with unfamiliarity with the person in front of her. It seemed as if she had never understood him before. She didn't understand. She couldn't understand him at all.

"Because it was Liu Che who ruined it all! I fought for him on the battlefield, and three generations of my Wei family have defended the country for him, bearing him children. He betrayed my aunt by imprisoning her in the palace, and killed Gongsun Lin to seize my wife. We cut off his branches and wrested power back from the Dou and Wang families. He enjoys peace and quiet, and then he abandons us and throws us away!

Everyone advises me to endure. He is the king and I am the subject. He is powerful and I am weak, but why? Why can he do whatever he wants? Why should I swallow my anger and let him do whatever he wants when he stole my wife?

"Because he is the emperor, your life is in his hands. If you resist, you will die."

"But I'm not afraid of death." He gripped her hand even tighter, making her want to pull away and escape. "Jiao, if I have to watch him hurt you, if I have to watch him take you away from me, I'd rather die. I'd rather trade my life for your freedom.

Be it gods or ghosts, today, from the Xuanwu Road in the suburbs of Beijing to the Six Palaces in the Imperial City, all the wandering ghosts, those who died with resentment or hatred, can come to me, Huo Changqing!"

He unsheathed his silver-white sword, slicing his palm. Blood flowed down the hilt, forming a long line that gathered and dripped onto the edge of his sleeve. He looked around, as if making a promise to something she couldn't see. She was completely stunned, staring at the man in front of her in shock, as if she were seeing a madman.

"You are crazy, you are really crazy. Go away quickly, Liu Che will kill you. It's not too late to leave now."

"I won't leave. I still want to serve the king and punish the rebels—"

Huo Changqing glanced at the dripping water in the room. "In a moment, when Liu An kills Liu Che, my men will kill Liu An's remaining soldiers. My uncle's troops will attack from outside the palace and cooperate with me to eliminate the traitor Liu An and support the crown prince to the throne. We are the heroes of this battle, why should we retreat!"

She shook her head and opened her mouth, but found herself speechless. She swallowed her breath, pushed Huo Changqing away, and tried to jump out the window. He grabbed her ankle and said, "Where are you going? It's dangerous outside."

"I'm going to find Liu Che, you can't kill him."

"Why!" He was a little angry and puzzled, "Are you in love with him?"

"I don't love him." "Then why save him?"

"He's a good emperor, and the world is peaceful today. If the monarch dies suddenly and a young ruler takes the throne, there will be another bloody storm." Her eyes were filled with penetrating coldness as she said seriously, "When he grows up, the first person he will kill will be you."

He didn't believe her "nonsense", "You just fell in love with him, it doesn't matter, he will die today, we still have a lot of time."

"We have no future, let go!" She anxiously pulled out the hairpin on her head and stabbed it into his hand. The blood beads that appeared made her stunned for a moment.

Huo Changqing looked at her straight in the eyes, "Why do you say that?"

"I tell you, I don't like Liu Che, nor do I like you. I have never loved you."

She didn't know what she was saying. She knew that she shouldn't say such words in the current situation. The other party might draw a knife and chop off her head in anger. But she didn't know what kind of emotions were surging in her heart, running around, making her blurt out involuntarily.

Huo Changqing's fingers trembled slightly for a moment, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. After she finished speaking, she began to feel scared, but at the same time, she felt a sense of calm. She withdrew the hand holding the golden hairpin into her sleeve and stared at the other person closely.

"I know."

She frowned.

"I know what you want. My aunt warned me the first time you entered the palace. You covet glory and wealth, and you're using me as a springboard to get closer to His Majesty. But now I can give you all of that. After he dies, I'll have the merit of following the emperor. I'm the Crown Prince's brother, and you'll be crowned the Lady of Korea, with countless fiefs..."

Her frown deepened. He actually knew? No, he couldn't possibly know. "You don't know!"

"You don't know what I want."

None of what he said was what she wanted. She didn't want wealth, power, or even his... so-called admiration. She wanted Wei Yun dead, she wanted everyone in the Wei family to die before her, she wanted everything that made her think of glory to vanish, and then she would be left with nothing like the humble singer who begged for mercy on the ground!

He and she were destined to go in opposite directions. She had only been using him from the beginning. She had never given him her heart, so how could he truly love her? Nonsense! He was talking complete nonsense! This lunatic!

She struggled to leave as if escaping, when suddenly, the sound of fighting came from outside the hall.

"Listen up, you traitors inside! Your Majesty has already severed Liu An's head. King Wu'an's 60,000-man army is on its way from Yiyang. If you surrender now, I'll spare your lives. If you continue to resist, I'll execute you on the spot, and your entire clan will be punished! Don't you dare lay down your weapons!"

It was the voice of General Jinwu beside Liu Che. Liu An was defeated, but Liu Che was not dead!

Then, there was a commotion, and the sounds of soldiers and weapons were getting closer and closer.

"Where's Madam Wang? Have you seen Madam Wang?"

Liu Che's voice was solemn and he seemed quite impatient.

"I...I didn't see any Madam. She should be safe and sound in the palace."

He didn't say anything else and seemed to be heading towards the hall. Gillian paused, jumped in through the window, and closed the doors and windows.

"Walk!"

She pushed him to the inner room, stepping into the tent with her shoes on. Huo Changqing frowned, "He came at the right time. The winner is the king and the loser is the bandit. Today I will have a showdown with him..."

"What are you deciding? Do you want to end your life, your aunt's life, or the life of the entire Wei family?"

She shouted coldly, and at the same time, the bed slowly moved aside, revealing a secret passage before Huo Changqing's eyes. She jumped off the bed and dragged him inside. "Hurry! Liu An is dead. When you get out, immediately clean up the mess between you and the King of Huainan. If he finds any clues, you and the Crown Prince will be dead, and everyone will be buried with you!"

"I won't leave. I'm responsible for my own actions. What have I done wrong?"

"Stop talking nonsense, I'm going with you!"

She was sweating profusely, and finally felt a little relieved as she pulled the stubborn bull behind her. The moment she heard Liu Che's voice, she did think about simply putting all the blame on him, letting him and the entire Wei family die together. But looking at the new and old wounds on his body that could not be hidden, looking at his blazing eyes... she wavered.

Forget it, she thought, one thing at a time. She'd let him go this time, but next time she wouldn't go easy on the Wei family. She'd still have to torture Wei Yun slowly; she couldn't let them die so easily...

She pulled him and ran quickly, "Hurry up!"

She took him along the nearest path, and it was almost dusk when they emerged from a reed marsh outside Beijing. She was gasping for breath, holding her waist as she breathed.

A few cold pieces of ice fell on the side of her neck. She looked up, a little surprised.

"It's snowing? Is it rain or snow?"

While patting her back, Huo Changqing stretched out his palm, and the snowflakes melted in his palm.

"It's snow." His eyes were complicated and he clenched his palms.

"It's snowing just as autumn begins..." Gillian frowned. This strange phenomenon in the sky is a bad sign.

"There's a post station up ahead. Take my gold hairpin and buy two horses..." She thought for a moment, "No, buy one. I'll take a boat to Pingkang County and wait for you. You ride back quickly and send a letter to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asking him to cover up your lie. Liu An is dead, there's no evidence. No matter what, His Majesty must not find out you were at Jianzhang Palace today."

"But……"

"No buts. If you want to leave, you have to wait until you finish dealing with the affairs in the capital. You can't implicate the entire Wei family for the two of us. Don't worry, Liu Che will only think that I escaped through the secret passage during the chaos, and you won't be implicated. Go quickly, it will be too late if you are late!"

She held his hand and looked at him seriously, "I don't love Liu Che, don't worry, I'm in Pingkang..."

A sharp arrow broke through the clouds. They both became alert to the sound and turned around. They saw a man in a black robe pointing a bow and arrow at them above the city gate in the distance.

Gillian was startled and quickly stopped him and hugged him, whispering, "He's catching up, let's go! You're in front, I'll be behind, let's go together, he won't shoot at me."

Another arrow whizzed by, seemingly cautious, only piercing his sleeve. She followed him as he ran deeper into the reeds, her heart pounding. They were still some distance from the city gate, and Liu Che couldn't be that fast...

"Chen Yu!"

Liu Che's voice came from behind her, startling her and sending shivers down her spine. He called out her real name, his tone and voice loud, revealing his extreme rage. Her already weakened legs sped up again, "Pull me away! Run quickly! Don't look back!"

The clatter of horse hooves chased her like a death warrant, not for her own life, but for the young man beside her. She had thought she could turn a blind eye, like Wei Yun, using his soft words and cruel actions to manipulate him, turning him into a weapon to smite the heart of that vicious woman. But today, she realized she was wrong. She couldn't do it. He was different from those people in the Wei family. He was so innocent, so sincere. She couldn't bear to watch such a sincere young man die because of her.

The white particles falling in her hair became more and more numerous and larger, but she saw hope. The reeds grew lower and lower, and in the distance, the sound of the river reached her ears.

She breathed a sigh of relief. "When we get to the river ahead, we'll jump in. Liu Che can't swim, so he can't catch up."