Farewell
Ye Youqing’s heart skipped a beat, as if her soul was hooked by this action of hers. Without any hesitation, she lowered her head once more and captured the fortress again, stirring Ci Ke into a trembling, delicate beauty like a pool of spring water.
Before long, Ye Youqing herself began to breathe erratically. She slowly moved Ci Ke to the edge of the bed. Ci Ke’s body softened and she sat down on the bed, the neatly folded quilt at the head of the bed just supporting her body.
Ye Youqing propped herself up with both hands on the quilt and then raised her head. Both of them were breathing heavily, their chests heaving violently.
Ye Youqing’s phoenix eyes were red, whether from the kiss or something else, she didn’t know. She stared at the beauty in front of her, and suddenly let go of her hand, lying down beside her.
Neither of them moved, but the air was still hot and their breaths alternated.
“Wait a moment, I’ll send you away,” Ye Youqing’s voice was hoarse.
“I’m not leaving,” Ci Ke replied.
Ye Youqing’s lips moved. She reached out and clasped Ci Ke’s fingers, speaking softly, “Be good, listen to me.”
Ci Ke’s voice was somewhat discontented, with a hint of sobbing, “Why can’t you come with me? I’ve already said that I want to go south with you, to stay with you forever.”
Ci Ke propped herself up on the bed, looking at Ye Youqing angrily, “I know what you’re going to do. I won’t stop you. Isn’t it enough for me to be by your side?”
Ye Youqing steadied herself, forcing back the sourness in her eyes, and gently shook her head.
“It’s dangerous,” Ye Youqing said softly.
“I’m not afraid of dying,” Ci Ke said quietly.
“I know you’re not afraid. I said as much in the mountain stronghold. You’re not afraid, but I am,” Ye Youqing said, slowly getting up and averting her gaze. “Besides, I need to know you’re safe, or my heart will be unsettled.”
“Ye Youqing…” Ci Ke’s eyelashes trembled, and she lowered her head. “You’ve always been soft-hearted, and that’s not a good thing.”
“I know,” Ye Youqing replied, reaching to hold Ci Ke’s hand. “But it’s not just about being soft-hearted. If I were still ignorant of the Iron Cavalry, I would have fled long ago. But now…”
“If we leave just like this, once the Western Xia troops arrive, the people here will suffer. From the stories of the fleeing villagers, those troops commit all sorts of atrocities—burning, killing, looting—leaving rivers of blood wherever they go.” Ye Youqing raised her head to look at a few stars outside the window. “Since there’s a chance to stop them, why not try?”
“Besides, I have a plan. If they managed to sneak through the border, it’s likely just a vanguard force clearing the way, aiming to secure the city’s supplies and make it easier for the main army to follow and take over. With Weizhou’s treacherous terrain and strong city walls, holding the city shouldn’t be difficult. I’ve already had Lian’er send a message with a carrier pigeon. The Emperor will surely dispatch troops here.”
“And even if the message doesn’t reach the capital, news of the turmoil here will spread to the surrounding prefectures. We only need to hold out for a few days until reinforcements arrive,” Ye Youqing reassured.
Ci Ke stared at her intently, then suddenly looked away and let out a laugh.
“What about after the reinforcements arrive? When the Iron Cavalry charges out, the Emperor will surely know it’s you. What if he decides to eliminate you completely?” Ci Ke asked, enunciating each word carefully.
Ye Youqing’s eyes flickered, but she remained silent.
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The atmosphere grew tense, and sounds from outside drifted in. The carriage creaked as it turned, horses snorted through their nostrils, and several people opened the door to lead the carriage out.
Ma Da came over and knocked on Ci Ke’s door, smiling broadly. “Ladies, it’s time to depart!”
Ci Ke stood up and moved to the bedside, her back facing Ye Youqing. “Do you really want me to leave?”
Ye Youqing watched her back, her eyes growing increasingly tender and red. She murmured an affirmation.
“Fine,” Ci Ke said, opening the door and stepping out. A gust of autumn wind blew in, sweeping away Ye Youqing’s heat. She slowly stood up and walked outside.
She grabbed Shi Li and said something.
“What? You’re not leaving?” Zhou Hong, shocked, raised his voice before quickly covering his mouth and lowering it again. “Western Xia is about to attack. Staying here is a death sentence!”
“Miss Ye…” Ma Da and Ma Er also stepped forward to persuade her. “Please reconsider. If you don’t leave today, you might not be able to leave tomorrow!”
Ye Youqing slightly curved her lips. “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”
“But…”
“Hurry up and go.” Ye Youqing interrupted Zhou Hong, smiling as she patted his shoulder and pushed him onto the carriage, reminding him, “Remember to take your medicine on the way.”
Zhou Hong poked his head out, his eyes red and full of words left unsaid. Seeing this, Ye Youqing followed him onto the carriage. “I happen to be leaving the city too, so I’ll take you to the city gate.”
Seeing her firm attitude, the others didn’t know what to say. They could only mount their horses and drive the carriage, leaving the small alley and entering the streets, which seemed much wider due to the night.
Every now and then, hurried pedestrians passed by on the street, leading donkeys or riding horses, dragging their families along, heading towards the South Gate to leave under the cover of night.
No one knew what lay ahead, their expressions all heavy with worry.
The sky was dark and oppressive, a thick blanket of black clouds occasionally revealing sparse stars, only to quickly hide them again. Ma Da deliberately slowed the carriage, but they still reached the gate quickly. Ye Youqing lightly jumped down from the carriage, and the others gathered around her.
“Miss Ye…” Ma Da, his face full of stubble, reddened his eyes. “Why don’t I stay too, to take care of you?”
Ye Youqing shook her head with a soft smile. “There’s no need. You should go with Ma Er to Jiangning Prefecture and help me manage a place to stay. I’ll need to live there for a long time.”
Ye Youqing did not say what she planned to stay behind for.
“Hurry up, don’t delay on the road. The longer you stay, the more likely something will go wrong. Don’t worry about me, I’ll leave when the time is right.” As she spoke, Ye Youqing pushed the others onto their horses.
Turning around, she saw Ci Ke standing outside the carriage, not moving. Ye Youqing sighed, walked over, and gently took her hand, softly stroking it. But Ci Ke kept her head down, refusing to look at her.
“Ci Ke.” Zhou Hong on the carriage pulled back the curtain, frowning as he touched Ci Ke’s shoulder, puzzled as to why she was ignoring Ye Youqing.
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Only then did Ci Ke move slightly, but her gaze passed over Ye Youqing’s shoulder, looking into the distance.
Ye Youqing knew she was angry, so she suddenly lowered her head, moving her lips close as if to kiss her. Ci Ke turned her head away to avoid it.
“I’m going back to the capital. I don’t care about you anymore,” Ci Ke said coldly.
Her soft red lips were still chapped, and not being able to touch them made Ye Youqing’s heart ache for a moment. Her eyes darkened as she let go and stepped back.
“Alright, as long as you’re safe.” Ye Youqing forced a smile, speaking softly.
Looking up, she saw Zhou Hong, who had witnessed everything, staring with wide eyes, his throat moving slightly.
“Take good care of her.” Ye Youqing didn’t pay attention to his expression. She just helped Ci Ke onto the carriage, lowered the curtain for them, and waved at Ma Da, who was driving the carriage.
Ma Da sighed deeply and told them to take care. Then, with a crack of the whip, the carriage rolled through the unguarded city gate and gradually disappeared into the distance.
Outside the carriage, a red-maned horse followed alongside. Only then did Ye Youqing realize someone was missing. She quickly turned to find her gaze meeting Shi Li, who had been silently hidden behind the carriage.
Shi Li leaned against her horse, arms crossed. Her slender waist was wrapped in a leather belt, her hair tied up and fluttering in the wind. A blade of grass dangled from her mouth as she boredly stared at Ye Youqing.
“Master?” Ye Youqing exclaimed in surprise, taking a few steps forward. “Why are you still here?”
Shi Li lazily glanced at her and spat out the grass. She looked Ye Youqing up and down, making Ye Youqing feel a bit guilty.
“When the time comes, you will leave?” Shi Li sneered. “They believe it. Do you think I would?”
Ye Youqing touched the top of her head awkwardly.
“Let’s go, get on the horse, we’re heading to the mountain stronghold.” With a light tap of her toe, Shi Li gracefully landed on her horse’s back and extended a hand to Ye Youqing.
Ye Youqing shook her head, but suddenly felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. Before she knew it, she was lifted into the air and landed uncontrollably on the horse. She gasped in pain and steadied herself on the horse.
“Master, you’ve already helped me enough. This time, it’s dangerous, so it’s best if I go alone,” Ye Youqing urged.
“You’ve actually helped me the most,” Shi Li replied softly, then let out a sneer. “People in the Jianghu value chivalry above all. As your master, how could I let my disciple face danger alone?”
Without waiting for Ye Youqing to respond, Shi Li cracked her whip through the cold air, spurring her horse through the city gate.
The two of them rode swiftly into the mountain stronghold, and though it had only been a month, the place was completely transformed. The mountain pass had been tidied up, and guards were stationed along the way. Upon seeing Ye Youqing, they all greeted her and stepped aside.
It seemed no one was sleeping tonight. People continuously passed by on the road, and although no lamps were lit, the murmurs in the dark indicated the bustling activity.
“Miss!” A tall, thin figure ran towards them in the darkness, quickly falling in step beside Ye Youqing. He spoke urgently, “Old Liu was planning to go to Weizhou personally to see you, but you’ve come yourself.”
“You all knew?” Ye Youqing grabbed Shi Li and hurried towards a house with lights on.
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“Since dusk, people have been passing through the official road at the foot of the mountain. We pretended to be villagers and asked a few questions,” Ding Cheng, though tall, had to jog to keep up with Ye Youqing’s pace. “Old Liu has already ordered us to temporarily halt mining and smelting, and everyone is on standby in the stronghold.”
As he finished speaking, they arrived at the house. Ding Cheng opened the door, and Ye Youqing stepped inside.
Old Liu was pacing the room with his hands behind his back. Hearing the commotion, he quickly turned around. Seeing Ye Youqing’s face, he exhaled a long breath of relief and stepped forward, clenching his fists in greeting. “Miss Ye, we received your message during the day and thought you had already left Weizhou! Please, have a seat!”
“No need,” Ye Youqing quickly shook her head. “I didn’t know during the day that the Western Xia forces had already advanced nearby. Now that we know, our plans are disrupted.”
“The nearby towns are crucial for our Iron Cavalry. If this place is occupied by Western Xia, it would cut off our lifeline. These hundreds of people here might starve to death in the mountains,” Old Liu said, his brows knitted tightly together as he sighed deeply.
“Moreover, Weizhou is home to our Iron Cavalry. Although we have no families, we grew up in Weizhou. In the past, under the leadership of King Si Rong, we repelled Western Xia. Now, we absolutely cannot allow them to take Weizhou back!” Old Liu’s voice was hoarse, but every word was clear.
He hunched his back, coughing repeatedly. “I may be old, but even if it costs me my life, I cannot stand by and watch the enemy seize our Qi’s towns, nor can I watch hundreds of our brothers die unjustly.”
A pair of slender yet strong arms helped him to sit down. His cloudy eyes opened to see a woman looking steadily at him. After a moment, she curled her lips into a smile.
“Rest assured,” she said.