Chapter 53

April 22, five days after the two armies clashed and shifted across the battlefield.

The summer wind howled. From his vantage at the southern foot of Mount Yin, Huyan De, King of the Northern Rong, gazed northward, surveying the vast swathes of mountains and plains—lush and verdant still, even after being ravaged by war again and again.

He gave his orders: “Gather all the troops, head toward Longxi Road and Shangyuan Territory, and swing south along the eastern wall of the mountains to seize and plunder military supplies.” Soon, the hurried clatter of hooves and boots thundered in three directions: east, west, and southwest.

The Northern Rong fought differently from Great Wei. Their cavalry far outnumbered their infantry, and their steppes were nowhere near as fertile as the Central Plains. They rarely carried much in the way of baggage or military provisions. After breaking through a pass, they would typically wage war and plunder in tandem to replenish what they consumed.

With each major battle, the entire war zone suffered a calamity.

Naturally, Great Wei’s main force pursued and tried to intercept them. Time and again, the decisive clashes that determined victory or defeat erupted precisely during these attempts to drive the Northern Rong back and prevent their pillaging.

Now, as the conflict hung in the balance, Huyan De swiftly altered his strategy, shifting from small-scale raids to ever-larger sweeps. Great Wei responded immediately with interception battles.

Overtly and covertly, tensions ran high, and the situation was poised on a knife-edge.

Frequent pursuit and relentless combat had already become routine for Xie Ci, Qin Xian, and their companions. Yet their vigilance was not reserved for the Northern Rong alone—there was also Lu Xinyi to contend with.

That night passed in silence. At dawn, Qin Xian and Chen Yan returned to camp, still brimming with the murderous energy of recent battle, leading the battered but unbroken Lingzhou and Yunzhou troops.

In recent days, with constant engagements, it was rare for all key figures to gather. Qin Xian and Chen Yan, after only a hurried cleansing and bandaging of wounds, made straight for their true command tent.

When Gu Wan lifted the curtain and entered, not everyone had arrived. Xie Ci stood beside the main table, under the dim glow of a lamp, listening to Xie Yun and Qin Ying speaking quietly. As their conversation ended, the sound of the curtain caught his attention, and he immediately looked up.

Their eyes met.

A shiver ran down Xie Ci’s spine, but he forced himself to relax, managing a faint smile. “You’re here?”

He gave Xie Yun a brief instruction; Xie Yun nodded and left quickly. Xie Ci walked over to Gu Wan, asking casually, “Have you had breakfast?” He appeared exactly as usual, betraying not the slightest hint of anything amiss. Yet, as soon as he spoke, Gu Wan’s heart skipped a beat.

She’d seen too much of life to believe he could recover so quickly. Even a child rebuffed in affection would sulk for two days.

She cursed inwardly. It was obvious—Xie Ci was not so transparent, and his feelings were not the fleeting infatuation she’d hoped for the day before.

“Yes, I’ve eaten. This morning it was corn cakes and pickled vegetables.”

If she weren’t present, Xie Ci’s meals were little better than those of the ordinary soldiers. The only reason he didn’t share their exact fare was because Xie Xinzhong and his father had always dined and slept alongside their men—he could not so openly differentiate himself.

Once Gu Wan learned of this, she sternly instructed the logistics staff not to treat her any differently than the others.

Yet when the two of them dined together, there was always meat and vegetables; indeed, after she’d fallen ill from eating too poorly, he made sure their table was even more plentiful.

Xie Ci would constantly pile meat into her bowl, and she would do the same for him, worried about the toll the constant exertion was taking on his health.

Thinking back on it now, Gu Wan was filled with a thousand emotions. Yet, no matter her feelings, she knew she could not allow herself to delay Xie Ci further. The deeper his feelings, the greater her caution and concern.

She forced herself to remain composed, chatting lightly with Xie Ci for a while longer.

Qin Xian arrived soon after.

He and Chen Yan still carried the aura of the battlefield. Qin Xian’s jaw bore a shallow scar from a stray arrow—he hadn’t even bothered to treat it. Once everyone was present, and the name “Lu Xinyi” was mentioned, he rose abruptly, pacing in agitation before kicking over a table with a fierce curse: “That Lu Xinyi! The ungrateful dog—!”

A heavy silence fell over the tent.

Since Yehe Gucheng’s return, all present had learned the truth about Lu Xinyi. Despite their anger and complex emotions, days of reflection had brought a measure of calm. Chen Yan asked in a low, tense voice, “What do we do next?”

Knowing of Lu Xinyi’s betrayal was an enormous breakthrough—their focus could at last turn wholly toward him. But now, their opponent would surely be scheming to destroy them as well.

Outside, Huyan De, King of the Northern Rong, still held his forces in check. Both Xie Ci and Xun Xiao’s assessment was that Xun Xun, after so long in hiding, would not risk exposing Lu Xinyi, his key general, without reason. Clearly, he was a man of deep calculation. The Northern Rong must still have cards left to play—other contingencies yet to be revealed.

How to proceed, step by step, to deal with and ultimately eliminate Lu Xinyi was the thorniest problem of all. The first step is always the hardest.

“Moreover, Xun Xun surely has someone planted close to Lu Xinyi,” Chen Yan said, echoing Xie Ci and Xun Xiao’s views.

The problem was—they had no idea whom Xun Xiao had planted or what his arrangements entailed.

At that moment, Xie Ci spoke. “I have someone inside Lu Xinyi’s camp as well.”

After the fall of the Xie family, many of their loyal guards had died to create a single spy. It was this spy who had sent word of Lu Xinyi’s recent suspicious behavior and shifting loyalties.

From the shadows at the side of the command tent, Xun Xiao rasped, “We might consider luring the snake from its hole.”

With three sides poised to strike, whether by enticement or other means, the only way to seize the initiative was to obtain some clue about Lu Xinyi before anyone else.

In this, the spy’s intelligence was crucial. Chen Yan brightened, urging, “Young General, dispatch more men to coordinate with this person from both inside and out!”

Xie Ci had the same intention. He had already tasked Xie Feng to focus entirely on this mission, and now, with priorities shifting, he planned to send another officer and men to reinforce Xie Feng.

Gu Wan, who had been quietly listening, raised her hand at once. “Let me go!”

Qin Xian would be needed on the battlefield, and while Qin Guan and Chen Luo could be spared, they were unfamiliar with the territory. The best candidates were herself and Qin Ying. This was, in fact, a perfect opportunity—both to serve the greater cause and to distance herself from Xie Ci, as she had just resolved.

She stood up quickly, just beating Qin Ying by half a step. Qin Ying was surprised, but Xie Ci’s heart jolted. So astute, he immediately suspected she had discerned something.

He’d let something slip.

Xie Ci, never having experienced such feelings before, had tried his utmost to conceal them, but his inexperience betrayed him. A keen observer like Gu Wan had instantly picked up on it and now seized the chance to withdraw without making a scene.

Qin Ying glanced at the downcast Xie Ci, then at Gu Wan beside her, frowning slightly. But now was not the time for other concerns. She stood up as well. “I’ll go too.”

It was impossible to describe what Xie Ci felt—crushing pressure from national and personal hatred, and underneath it all, a deep, painful ache. He’d prepared himself for this, wondered what he’d do if he were ever found out, yet still, his hands on the desk curled unconsciously into fists.

He fought to maintain his composure. After a moment, he nodded. “Very well. You should set out at once.”

Gu Wan gave Xie Ci a bright, unaffected smile before turning to leave with Qin Ying, the two vanishing into the wind-lifted curtain.

Xie Ci could only remain seated, watching helplessly as her slender figure—so lively and quick—disappeared from view in a blink, leaving nothing but the hot wind swirling through the tent.

He swallowed hard, forcing himself to look away from the tent flap. “Let’s continue.”

Great Wei Central Army Camp, Main Command Tent.

Lu Xinyi paced the tent, restless. The spacious command tent was filled with trusted officers—Chen Fen among them—as well as several confidential advisers. Yet despite the company, all was hushed and heavy.

Days of reorganizing the troops and managing the war effort had left Lu Xinyi with barely two hours of sleep a night, often working straight through till dawn. The exhaustion showed plainly on his face. Yet it was not only the army and the fierce fighting that consumed his energies—there was another matter of utmost importance.

“Xie Ci, oh Xie Ci!”

His brow twitched. There was no doubt—the mysterious black-armored major general was none other than Xie Ci! The memory of that dark, thunderous figure sweeping through the storm was vivid as ever, a persistent sense of dread prickling at Lu Xinyi’s back.

The Xie family was truly his nemesis.

No matter what, Xie Ci simply refused to die!

But now there was no time to investigate further. The matter of the black-armored general had been buried beneath the relentless tide of war. How, he wondered, could he eliminate Xie Ci and the key Eastern Camp officers like Qin Xian without disrupting the overall balance of the war? This campaign was the best opportunity.

Yet, in the midst of such frequent and unpredictable battles, it was no easy task to create or seize the perfect moment for such a move.

Lu Xinyi’s real targets were Xie Ci, Qin Xian, and their circle, but he could not afford to cripple the armies of Lingyun and the Four Provinces—or the war would instantly turn against him.

Finally, on the night of April 23, just a day after the Northern Rong had shifted their tactics, Lu Xinyi received his chance. At dusk, a courier from Fanyang arrived with a message for the command.

Chen Fen soon entered with two men.

Good news!

Over the years, Lu Xinyi had gathered a number of exceptional talents—advisers, scribes, craftsmen, physicians, and even some odd specialists.

Before this campaign, recognizing the thorny threat posed by Xie Ci and Qin Xian, Lu Xinyi had sent a secret letter back to his base in Fanyang, ordering those skilled in medicine and alchemy to develop a drug that could severely incapacitate, but not kill.

“Master, Shi Yi and Cao Hua are here! They say the medicine has been successfully formulated.”

Shi Yi was another trusted retainer left in Fanyang. Led by Chen Fen, he hurried into the command tent, where Lu Xinyi, having just lain down for a brief rest, sat up at once.

“Come in, quickly!”

Lu Xinyi swung his feet onto his boots, and as Chen Fen and Shi Yi entered, they knelt and presented a small white porcelain vial, faces alight with satisfaction.

“It’s slightly cloudy, but undetectable in wine or tea. Cao Hua says it causes embolism in the bloodstream, moving up to the brain. At first, the victim feels unwell but can still function; soon after, they collapse with symptoms of grave illness.”

Shi Yi beamed. “I’ve tested it both in Fanyang and en route. The effects are exactly as described!”

In other words, after ingestion, the victim would show symptoms of blood clots. It would not be fatal, and at first, they could still act, but soon they would be bedridden, unable to rise. Only after more than half a month would the effects begin to subside.

“Half a month is more than enough!”

All fatigue vanished from Lu Xinyi’s face. He was overjoyed. “Excellent! You shall all be handsomely rewarded. It seems even Heaven is on my side!”

He lifted the porcelain vial, its plain surface gleaming in the lamplight, and at last allowed a look of triumph to surface before quickly schooling his features. “Have Lu Da fetch someone. I’ll test it myself.”

Soon, Lu Xinyi had personally tested the medicine and found it every bit as effective as promised—indeed, it seemed tailored for Qin Xian.

Yes, this drug was meant for Qin Xian! If it also took down Chen Yan, Su Zhen, and the others, so much the better, but even just removing Qin Xian would suffice.

After Zhao Heng’s death, Qin Xian had become the leading officer of the former Xie family army, holding the highest command and greatest authority. With Chen Yan and the others surrounding him, Xie Ci was all but untouchable.

And Xie Ci would surely be present in the Eastern Camp.

His chief adviser, Guo Liang, grinned. “Master, the upcoming pursuit after dividing our forces is the perfect moment.”

“Precisely,” Lu Xinyi’s eyes flashed. “When it’s time to issue orders to divide the troops, we’ll drink a cup of ‘Resolution Wine’ together in the command tent. The drug will be in that cup!”

The so-called Resolution Wine, much like an oath-taking wine, could be tea or wine. It was a standard military ritual: after receiving orders, each officer would drain a cup and smash it on the ground, a pledge to fight to the end.

With the Northern Rong now splitting into three prongs and the battlefield growing ever more distant, it was only a matter of days before Great Wei would also divide its forces and launch a three-front campaign.

It would happen in the next day or two.

Lu Xinyi studied the regional map. “When the time comes, Cheng Lizhang and Liang Fen will flank the sides. Once the troops of Lingyun and the Four Provinces are routed, our goal will be achieved. Cheng Lizhang can take command and stabilize the line.”

Duke Cheng Lizhang of England had always maintained neutrality. When the issue of the black-armored major general arose, he’d even spoken on behalf of Xie Ci and Qin Xian in the Eastern Camp. The troops of Lingyun and the Four Provinces, as well as Qin Yong’s men, would not resist his authority.

Both sides now took calculated, cautious steps, each striving to avoid destabilizing the larger war effort. Whether it be Xie Ci’s camp or Lu Xinyi’s.

Late that night, Gu Wan returned at speed with Xie Zi and the bodyguards, bringing vital news.

“Our people learned that at dusk today, someone arrived from Fanyang! Soon after, someone was summoned to the command tent, and not long after, he was carried out—complaining of a headache and showing signs of thrombotic illness. When I left, his condition was still worsening.”

Gu Wan glanced at Xie Ci, who had hurried out. The tent was soon ablaze with light, everyone assembling rapidly. She caught Xie Ci’s eye and smiled.

She continued, speaking quickly: “But we believe this person will be all right in the end.” The effects should eventually pass.

The Xie family’s spy was stationed among Lu Xinyi’s close guards—close, but not intimately so, not privy to the most sensitive secrets. Yet from within, he could still pick up hints.

Since the courier from Fanyang had brought no large boxes or trunks, only small items—likely either important letters or something compact, such as medicine.

Judging by the illness of the man carried out, it could only be medicine.

In his haste, Lu Xinyi had summoned a guard to test the drug, and rather than disposing of the body, had simply allowed him to be carried away—so Xie Feng and Gu Wan judged that, after the effects passed, the man would recover. Otherwise, the rest of the close guards would be alarmed.

Gu Wan, breathless, asked, “What should we do now?”

Sweating profusely, she accepted a cup of tea Xie Ci silently handed her. It was his own cup. In hard times, they had shared tea before, and the taboo had faded. Now, though, Gu Wan could only steel herself, managing a smile as she drank half.

Xie Ci had already considered the situation. He could do nothing now but strive to match Gu Wan’s standards for distance and decorum. Perhaps, he thought, this space between them was the best he could hope for, and he forced himself to endure.

He could only hope this phase would pass quickly.

Xun Xiao, wrapped in a gray cloak, suddenly looked up. “The snake is moving.”

The three sides were now stretched taut as a bowstring; no one knew who would snap first.

Xie Ci thought for a moment, then said, “The drug will surely be in the main tent after the troops are split—in the Resolution Wine.” Xun Xiao’s mind raced. He quickly said, “My suggestion: Qin Xian drinks the wine, holds it in his mouth, then spits it out afterwards.”

Gu Wan’s brow creased. “Isn’t that risky? Don’t forget the Northern Rong—we still don’t know what kind of plans Xun Xun has set up around Lu Xinyi. What if they switch the wine for real poison?”

“That’s why I said to hold it in the mouth and spit it out later,” Xun Xiao replied.

They now faced two choices: avoid the wine entirely, or drink and spit it out. The former left them on the defensive and risked exposing their crucial spy.

If Lu Xinyi suspected anything because Qin Xian refused to participate, the ruse would be immediately uncovered. Even if he didn’t capture their man outright, it would be easy enough to replace the entire guard staff.

Their one advantage would be lost.

Drinking the wine, though risky, would put them on the front foot. Xun Xiao said coldly, “If the Northern Rong do have a man close to Lu Xinyi, we’ll have a chance to find him.”

With everyone moving, danger and opportunity were inseparable.

If they succeeded in capturing this man and the incriminating evidence, Lu Xinyi’s crime of plotting against his own officers would be undeniable. Even if they could never prove his past smuggling and frame-ups, this charge alone would see him brought to justice.

Xun Xiao sneered, “You might evade danger once, but can you evade it forever?”

His gaze was icy. In truth, he had already foreseen another possible outcome—a fleeting vision of a beautiful face crossed his mind, but he kept silent.

Xie Ci shot him a glance, frowning.

“I still think it’s too risky,” Gu Wan said. Xun Xiao’s plan was bold—too bold, she thought. If their spy were exposed, they would be in dire straits.

Still, she couldn’t fully endorse Qin Xian taking the risk. She felt Xun Xiao’s approach was too hawkish.

“Risk? When has there ever not been risk?” Xun Xiao retorted.

Gu Wan had no answer. Indeed, even if they did nothing, they were in constant danger.

Xun Xiao’s point was valid—evading one poisoned wine did not guarantee safety from the next. Just recently, after the princes had met with Qin Yong, they had sent many rewards—through Lu Xinyi’s hand. Among them were imperial dishes and a small jar of imperial wine, all to be eaten and drunk on the spot.

If Lu Xinyi arranged for the princes to send another such gift, they would be completely at his mercy.

But Xun Xiao’s method was to stir the waters forcefully and seize the moment. Qin Xian was about to speak, but Xie Ci raised his hand, signaling for patience.

“Let’s wait for further news,” he said after a pause.

The second report arrived swiftly—brought back by Qin Ying herself.

“We noticed one of Lu Xinyi’s close guards acting suspiciously. In a single day, he met twice with a deputy named Yan Ao. Our people are investigating further—they may be the very agents Xun Xun and the Northern Rong planted beside Lu Xinyi!”

Qin Xian shot up. “Excellent!”

He looked to Xie Ci at the head of the table. “Young General, let me go. This risk is worth taking!”

He stepped forward and knelt, gazing up at Xie Ci. After a moment’s thought, Xie Ci rose and helped him up. “Very well. As you say.”

The Eastern Camp now threw itself wholly into preparations for the plan.

Gu Wan immediately began teaching Qin Xian how to hold a small mouthful of wine and speak without betraying himself. It was a razor’s edge—one misstep spelled disaster. They had no precedent, no blueprint—every step was a leap into the unknown.

They weighed every option with the utmost care.

This time, the Xie family’s guards, the Flowing Cloud Guard, and Chen Yan’s men, together with the forces of Kou Wenshao and Su Zhen, joined in an all-out effort to investigate and coordinate.

At last, Xie Feng reported back: he was confident they could intercept the deputy before he handed the drug to the close guard, and apprehend the man in time.

Everyone agreed to Qin Xian’s risky plan—they would not get a better chance.

After the rain, the sun blazed, the temperature spiking—much like the surging undercurrents of the present crisis.

Yet no one knew that Xun Xun had more than one agent near Lu Xinyi.

The moment he learned of the drug, the hawk-eyed, hook-nosed man shot to his feet. He did not know the specifics, but instantly grasped that a tide of intrigue was swirling around Lu Xinyi.

He all but laughed to the heavens: “Heaven is with me! Ha ha—”

He’d known, he’d always known, that sooner or later it would come to this with Lu Xinyi.

It was no easy feat to insert a mole. The Xie family guards had sacrificed countless lives and two years of effort for just one not-quite-intimate spy.

Xun Xun was no different. Even with Huyan De’s full support, and the tangled web of figures in the northern frontier, he’d had to choose carefully. After half a month’s deliberation, he’d settled on Lu Xinyi.

Now, his judgment was vindicated.

Laughing wildly, Xun Xun snapped out of it and barked, “Send word at once!”

Northern Rong Army.

Huyan De, King of the Northern Rong, had just finished a bloody counterattack. Taking the secret letter, he read it and almost immediately cried, “Good! Very good—”

He laughed, his eyes shining. “At last, our chance has come!” He sent a reply: “Give them Yan Ao! Instruct Deng Qin to act at the Oath Platform—replace the medicine with kou-wen poison!”

In the Northern Rong royal court, there existed a deadly poison, brewed from seven insects and seven rare flowers. Each was a lethal rarity, the recipe lost to history when the court’s last great shaman was slain by Huyan De himself. Only a few vials remained, brought along for this southern campaign.

Deng Qin was not even Lu Xinyi’s man. Huyan De’s mind raced, discarding half of Xun Xun’s plan.

He reasoned that Lu Xinyi would be extremely wary of them—he would likely feint with the wine, perhaps not even have his own men deliver it.

Instead, he would wait until the Oath Platform, and only then, at the last moment, have a confidant poison the wine just before it was served. To avoid leaving evidence, he would likely delegate the serving to someone from the Oath Platform staff.

Deng Qin was one such guard.

Huyan De’s eyes blazed. “Have Xun Xun activate every agent—maintain control of every development!”

He shifted his forces at once. The Northern Rong cavalry, highly mobile, quickly bypassed Great Wei’s main columns and swept toward the east, west, and southwest, leaving devastation behind. Only those villagers who fled to the mountains escaped.

Great Wei responded by rapidly dividing its forces and giving chase.

The distance between the armies stretched, and soon it was time to split into three prongs.

“Now, I—Qin Xian, Cheng Lizhang, Zheng Shoufang, Bai Zhaoxi—each of you take command of a column. Pursue the Northern Rong without delay! Do not fail!”

“Be cautious—do not be careless, do not be arrogant or rash!”

“Understood!”

Lu Xinyi issued repeated warnings, and all those present—except those still fighting elsewhere—knelt and accepted the command tokens.

At last, Lu Xinyi changed tone. He called for the wine cups, and soon the cups were handed out one by one. Rising to his feet, he declared, “Gentlemen, drain your cups! We shall not return unless victorious in this battle—”

Apart from the imperial Oath Wine, the cloudy, low-proof rice wine was the army’s standard for such rituals. Lu Xinyi drained his cup and smashed it to the ground.

“We shall not return unless victorious—!”

The cry echoed from the assembled officers.

Qin Xian was in the front row, directly before Lu Xinyi. He roared, drank, and likewise smashed his cup.

Lu Xinyi’s gaze darted from the shattered porcelain to Qin Xian’s face. “Qin Xian, do you have resolve?”

“I do!”

Qin Xian saluted crisply, head bowed.

Lu Xinyi smiled, then waved his hand. “Very good. Move out at once!”

“Sir!”

Boots and hooves thundered. All regiments, save the thirty thousand left to guard the camp, were ready for rapid deployment.

Under the Oath Platform, after tossing their tokens and cups, the officers turned and departed at once. The army surged forth like a tide.

The moment Qin Xian left the Oath Platform, Qin Guan opened a marked oilcloth pouch, and Qin Xian immediately spat out the wine he’d kept in his mouth. Qin Guan sealed it with wax.

Qin Xian rinsed his mouth several times, then mounted and charged out of the gate—when disaster struck.

Riding at full gallop, Qin Xian suddenly wavered in his saddle.

Gu Wan was the first to notice something was wrong.

She’d been carrying her medicine bag, keeping close behind Qin Xian, watching him intently. Now, without any pretense, she shouted, “General Qin—!”

Xie Ci whipped around.

Qin Xian’s complexion had turned ashen, a cloud of shadow across his features—hard to see in the night, but he swayed and suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

He vomited blood several times in quick succession, his tall frame wavering before he toppled from his horse. In that instant, it was as if their eyes would burst from their heads in shock.

They had just received word from Xie Feng that the close guard had been apprehended, and the medicine swapped out in time. Even if the guard had tried to poison the wine, it would have been rendered nearly harmless.

Whether it was Lu Xinyi’s drug or the guard’s, neither should have affected Qin Xian or the overall situation—they could even use the plan to their advantage.

But instead, disaster struck. Everything changed in a heartbeat.

Xie Ci and Gu Wan were both shocked to the core. Only moments before, each had been determined to maintain their distance and composure; now, fate hurled them together amid sudden chaos.

They spurred their horses, reaching Qin Xian’s side in an instant. Xie Ci leaned down and caught the falling man, pulling him up behind him even faster than Qin Guan or Qin Yong.

Gu Wan leapt onto Xie Ci’s horse as well, gripping the saddle with her knees while steadying Qin Xian with one hand and clutching Xie Ci’s with the other. In that moment, their fingers interlaced tightly.

“How is he?” she cried.

One look was enough—Qin Xian’s face was dark as ink.

Clearly, things were dire indeed.