father……

It hurts so much that I can’t fall asleep in my dream.

Rulan suddenly opened her eyes and instinctively touched the wound on her forehead. Her fingers bounced back the moment they touched her, and the pain went straight up from her forehead to the top of her head. Rulan couldn't help but cry out, "Hiss, it hurts!"

The chirping of birds outside the window only made her head hurt even more. Rulan paused for a moment before realizing she was inside a simple wooden hut. She propped herself up with her hands, slowly got off the bed, and opened the light-filled wooden door.

There were no thrilling scenes. It was surrounded by green mountains and gurgling green water. Yuan Ming, who was holding a large bundle of firewood in his arms, heard the sound and turned to look at Ru Lan with a smile in his eyes: "You're awake."

Perhaps because of the cut on her forehead, Rulan was a little dazed. The figure in her eyes shook several times before gradually merging into the appearance of Yuan Ming.

"How is your injury?" Rulan cast her eyes on the wound on Yuan Ming's shoulder. There was a hint of resentment in her eyes, as expected, but also a hint of worry. "You should have a good rest."

Yuan Ming also glanced at the wound himself, but did not continue the conversation. Instead, he asked, "How is your wound? Does it still hurt? I made you some medicine. Remember to drink it later."

With a clang, the firewood fell to the ground. Yuan Ming brushed the dust off his hands, took out the item wrapped in green leaves, opened it and saw that it was the carp that he had roasted last night.

Yuan Ming handed the fish to Rulan and said with a smile, "Eat it. The owner of this cabin grilled it for you."

Seeing Rulan take it, Yuan Ming said: "I'm going to go see if the owner of the wooden house has caught any fish. You rest here and wait for me to come back."

Rulan looked bewilderedly at the grilled fish, then at Yuan Ming's departing figure, a mixture of emotions welling up in her. Imagine you stumble upon someone on the street—wounded, heartbroken, and occasionally mad. Yet, she seems unfazed. No matter what she faces, she always has her own ideas and acts accordingly. She's clearly the one who needs the most care, yet her actions constantly communicate to others that she refuses to be a weakling.

How could there be such a person in the world? No one could tell Rulan the answer. She sat by the door, biting into the cold grilled fish, like a cub waiting for the lioness to come home, waiting for Yuan Ming to come back.

By the river, She You sat half-asleep on a rock, a bamboo fishing rod in front of him. Like an old angler in an ink painting, She You waited silently by the riverbank, making no sound, accompanied only by the mountains and water, unconcerned with the willing taker's bait.

Yuan Ming placed the kettle and bait he brought next to She You without saying a word, as if they had a tacit understanding from the years they had spent together.

The light and shadow create ripples on the lake surface, and the gentle breeze blows softly. If you ignore the poverty and few desires, this is probably the feeling of mountains and rivers that countless literati and poets yearn for.

Yuan Ming was enchanted by the scene, his restlessness vanishing. He and She You remained there for an indefinite period, until the line swayed, and the fish's desperate struggle broke the stillness of the water. She You quickly steadied himself, spreading his feet apart, one slightly forward, for balance. After circling the fish, he lifted his rod with all his might, breaking the surface of the water. A large carp, tail wagging, thrashed on the shore. She You smiled and placed it in the bucket, his face beaming with joy.

Yuan Ming also smiled, "General She, we have gained a lot today!"

"Your Highness Yuan Ming, let's have a feast today."

This was an unprecedented peace of mind, and Yuan Ming suddenly had an idea: let go of everything and integrate into this place until the end of his life.

But the thought was fleeting, because it was impossible. Yuan Ming couldn't let go, and Yuan Zi wouldn't let her go either. Fate's arrangements were powerless to resist, turning sisters who were thicker than blood into mortal enemies, and people even lamented its impermanence.

Yuan Ming and Ru Lan had been here for two days, and during that time, She You hadn't mentioned the help Yuan Ming desired. Yuan Ming was also distressed. A single stone stirred up a thousand ripples. Could it be that some small action of hers had changed the course of her fate, making it impossible for her to receive She You's help in this life?

On the third day, even Rulan couldn't help but ask when they were leaving, but Sheyou was still the same. Yuan Ming could still hold his composure for now, but only for now.

At noon on the third day, Yuan Ming didn't see She You, who usually fished by the river. She searched around the cabin and along the riverbank, but still couldn't find him. She didn't have much time to waste here. No matter what the outcome, she had to get She You's answer today.

Yuan Ming followed the spot where he last remembered seeing She You, arriving at the upper left corner of the cabin. The area was overgrown with weeds, but the accumulation of fallen, yellow leaves didn't seem naturally formed. Yuan Ming squatted down and examined it carefully, discovering that the fallen leaves seemed meticulously arranged, layer upon layer, concealing a path amidst a tangle of golden and dark brown.

The surroundings were deserted, and the only person who had built this path was She You, and who was this withered grass disguise? Who was he trying to prevent? It could only be Yuan Ming, who had taken the liberty of visiting.

Yuan Ming chose to follow this path. At the end of the overgrown grass, he saw a cave half a man's height. Yuan Ming approached the cave. The wind was gusting inside, and the cave was bottomless. There were scratches beside the cave. Could it be the lair of a giant bear?

Could it be that She You had been attacked by a bear? No, he had lived in the mountains for many years and was experienced in dealing with wild animals. Moreover, the dead leaf camouflage was intact, and there was no blood spilled around. However, there were a few traces of human footsteps.

She You's safety prompted Yuan Ming to step into the cave one step at a time. The fire starter emitted a faint light, helping her grope forward.

The sound of water dripping onto rocks echoed ethereally within the cave. The narrow cavern gradually widened, and Yuan Ming, who had been hunched over, could now stand up straight as he walked deeper. After walking for about an incense stick of time, Yuan Ming reached the end of this strange cavern.

The firelight slowly ascended. Yuan Ming opened his eyes wide, momentarily forgetting to breathe. Hundreds of exquisite wooden boxes lay before him, their lids emblazoned with imperial seals. Above them, a sword carved with an eagle's head hung fixed to the cave wall, its sharp edge gleaming in the firelight.

Judging by the dust on the lids, these boxes had been stacked there for at least two years. They were locked, so Yuan Ming couldn't open them. But based on their design and material, Yuan Ming speculated that they were likely filled with weapons. This amount would be enough to support a sizable army.

Yuan Ming calmed himself down, held up the tinder, and looked closely at the sword on the cave wall. The more he looked, the more frightened he became.

Her memory traced back to her past life. When the tyrant Yuan Ming was dying, Zhong Yingqi slowly walked towards her holding a sword, and the sword was also carved with an eagle head.

"Your Highness, why are you here?" She You suddenly walked out from the darkness with an obscure look in his eyes.

Yuan Ming was not at all surprised. She turned sideways to face him. The firelight only illuminated the outline of half of her face, and her emotions could not be seen.

"I used to feel sorry for General She. He had fought and won battles his entire life, and finally retired after achieving his goal. Instead, he gave up everything and lived in seclusion in the mountains. People praised him for his indifference to fame and fortune, but I blamed myself for not being able to protect him in front of the Empress."

"Your Highness, there is no need to blame yourself." She You lit the candles in the cave, the darkness dissipated, and it became bright in an instant. Neither of them could use the darkness to hide their expressions.

"When the bird is dead, the bow is put away; when the rabbit is dead, the dog is cooked. It is human nature. There are so many emperors, but only a few are widely praised and remembered by the world. We don't need to be too harsh on the empress." She You showed that kind smile again, as if he had already put aside the confrontation provoked by Yuan Ming's previous entry into the cave and was not worried at all.

Yuan Ming's expression remained calm, but his words betrayed some emotion: "General She, what happened today is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me."

"I don't mean to deceive Your Highness, but I have concerns in my heart. I am destined not to be a free and easy person." She You nodded slightly to Yuan Ming and left the cave on his own.

Yuan Ming glanced at the sword carved with an eagle head, retracted his gaze, and followed She You.

Daylight was just around the corner when She You suddenly stopped and turned to Yuan Ming, saying, "How will Your Highness get along with the Princess in the future? You are sisters after all. Has the situation really reached a point of no return?"

Seeing that Yuan Ming didn't answer, he paused and continued, "Give me a few more years. Your Highness has seen that I only have weapons and armor now, and I can't achieve anything."

Looking at She You's expression, he wondered why she wanted to help him. The feeling returned, a sense of relief that the truth was about to be revealed lingering in Yuan Ming's heart. A thousand words finally came together in one: Thank you.

She You's eyes were full of relief. If it weren't for the bright sunlight at the entrance of the cave, Yuan Ming would have been able to see She You's moist eyes at this moment.

The two returned to the cabin in silence. It was already 3 p.m., and the beasts lurking in the darkness were ready to strike. Yuan Ming said to Rulan, "Pack your things. We'll return to the Northern Frontier military camp tomorrow."

Rulan spread her hands and said, "We don't have anything at all."

The next day, Yuan Ming and Ru Lan bid farewell to She You. On the way back, Ru Lan looked at the brand new sword on Yuan Ming's back and exclaimed: "This sword is really beautiful."

The hilt of the sword is meticulously carved from rosewood, its grain distinct. The hilt, crafted from pure silver, is inscribed with the powerful Chinese character "Ming." The blade gleams with a cold silver hue, like moonlight on a snowy plain, its edge unparalleled. This is a precious sword crafted specifically for Yuan Ming.

Before leaving, She You gave the sword to Yuan Ming, saying it was a gift from an elder to a younger one. Yuan Ming liked the sword very much and respectfully bowed to She You as a junior.

Rulan smiled and said, "Although this trip was a bit dangerous, I got a precious sword, so it was worth it."

Yuan Ming smiled slyly: "This knife is mine, you didn't get anything."

Rulan's face drooped suddenly, and she said sullenly, "I see. I'm just happy for you."

Yuan Ming stopped and suddenly faced Rulan. He stretched out his right hand in front of her, curled his lips and said, "Look at my hand." Then, like a magic trick, he produced an exquisite little silver knife and stuffed it into Rulan's hand, with an expression of begging for praise on his face.

Rulan thought about it for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Could this be what shops often call...a gift?"

Yuan Ming's expression turned from sunny to cloudy, and he hurriedly explained, "This isn't some sort of gift. It's a gift from the royal family, and it means a lot to me. I've been thinking about it these past few days. You've been with me through thick and thin, and I can't let you go empty-handed. It would be too shameful."

Yuan Ming pointed at the small silver knife Rulan was holding and said, "It was one of the gifts presented by the Western Regions back then. When I was still a princess, the Empress gave it to me as a coming-of-age gift. It was truly priceless. A few years ago, it was accidentally given to General She and never returned. This time, General She returned it to its rightful owner. Now that I'm penniless, this is the only gift I can afford."

Yuan Ming turned around and said softly, "This small silver knife is suitable for carrying around. It's used to cut herbs and protect you when you're in danger. When you're old enough to hold a large knife, I'll forge one for you, and you can learn swordsmanship from me."

"Ah..." Rulan said a little embarrassedly, "I only have a small knife. I can't wield a big knife. And..."

Rulan couldn't help but smile: "I noticed that you really like giving knives to others."

The two walked one in front and the other behind, and Yuan Ming's thoughts drifted back to her previous life. She used that small silver knife to end her career as a tyrant, which was also a good omen.

Zhong Yingqi's face with scars on it appeared in her mind again. Yuan Ming prayed silently, hoping that everything was okay for him.