Chapter 138: Some Fight to the Death, Others Give Their All

Ye Xiaoniang hurried back to Luyang. Before even stepping into the Yuzhen Pavilion, she first headed to the Third Princess’s mansion. However, the Third Princess was currently at the Human Palace, enduring the emperor’s wrath.

Nor was she alone; kneeling below were the Fourth Princess, He Jiang, and the emperor’s precious darling, the Seventh Princess Yin Tianyu.

At the Battle of Desheng Pass, General Ji Lan had gone missing in action, Shu Le of the Luyang Academy had died for his country, and many other soldiers whose names could never be remembered now lay forever in the Chenzhou basin.

And now, another problem lay before them: following the fall of Desheng Pass, Luyang was exposed to the enemy’s direct line of sight. At the same time, the battlefield at Xingyuan remained deadlocked. Should they abandon Xingyuan as well and fortify Luyang, or should they choose to trust Luyang and let the Vice Chancellor hold his ground at Xingyuan?

In an era where the sovereign was supreme, when the capital was threatened, regardless of the difficulties faced by frontline commanders, they were expected to unconditionally choose to lead their troops back in retreat; otherwise, they would be suspected of harboring rebellious intentions.

In fact, the Vice Chancellor, far away in Xingyuan, had already dispatched several memorials, hoping His Majesty the Emperor would grant him permission to lead his troops back as reinforcements.

Doing so would enhance the safety of Luyang, but it would simultaneously mean abandoning hundreds of miles of fertile territory in the northern border. Once the Qi troops occupied it, if the already vital-qi-depleted Xu State ever wanted to take it back, it would be exceedingly difficult.

Consequently, His Majesty the Emperor fell into an abyss of endless indecision. Although his personal morality fell short of the late emperor’s, he had always held himself in high self-esteem; the current state of affairs was not entirely his fault, but rather the result of the "Declining Strength Plan" implemented by his ancestors. What else could he do?

In any event, the Emperor of Xu had no wish to steer Xu State into irreversible destruction while it was under his rule.

Amidst this agonizing indecision, one person opposed the Vice Chancellor’s plan to retreat and reinforce.

That person was the Fourth Princess, Yin Tianchang.

Her reason for opposition was singular: she firmly believed that Luyang could hold.

Yin Tianchang submitted: "Putting aside the Seventeenth Pavilion Master and the soldiers united in purpose, the Human Palace also houses the great formation left by our ancestors. No matter how strong Qi is, no one can break it. This daughter does not perceive any special danger that requires our great Xu to abandon a hundred miles of territory!"

Perhaps her argument was correct from a military perspective.

Yet upon hearing this, the Emperor of Xu felt deeply displeased. In essence, this amounted to asking her own imperial father to take risks.

Within the cold, unfeeling calculus of military strategy, there was not a shred of paternal-filial affection.

"Little Seven, what do you think?" The Emperor of Xu looked away from his fourth daughter and turned to the Seventh Princess, Yin Tianyu.

Because of Shu Le’s sacrifice, she had remained in a dispirited state over the past few days.

When the emperor asked her, she had no particular thoughts of her own and could only reply: "Little Seven trusts the decisions of Father and my elder sisters. Although my cultivation is merely in the Spirit-Guarding realm, I am willing to fight to the exhaustion of my strength for Father. Little Seven cannot offer any grand strategies; I only wish that Father allows me to remain by your side and block the enemy's swords and blades for you."

The Emperor of Xu’s heart softened, thinking that Little Seven was indeed the most thoughtful, and that his usual pampering had not been in vain.

Though her answer was vague and devoid of any useful measures, the emperor seemed to vastly prefer this kind of response.

The Fourth Princess had offered a concrete strategy, yet it brought him no joy.

The Third Princess saw all of this with absolute clarity.

This imperial father of hers could truly be considered the epitome of selfishness.

"Third, what about you? What do you say?"

The Third Princess bowed prostrate. "Shu Le of the Luyang Academy sacrificed himself for the country. This daughter requests that Shu Le be posthumously conferred the title of Pavilion Master of Returning Immortality, entering the Pavilion of Pavilion Masters to receive the admiration of all the people."

"Mm, you are one who gets practical things done. This request is granted. However, I am asking you whether we should retreat for reinforcements. Little Four has the determination to hold Luyang, which of course is good; as for Little Seven, she is a little muddle-headed, but her filial piety is evident. You have always been tactful and wise; do you have a sound strategy regarding this matter?"

Before speaking, the Third Princess made a profound bow. "Father. This daughter believes that the Vice Chancellor's memorial makes sense!"

The Fourth Princess’s brow darkened, a reservoir of accumulated resentment filling her chest. But she always remained silent; perhaps silence was her language.

"Oh? Let's hear it." His Majesty the Emperor smiled.

"This daughter believes that Father is tied to the destiny of all the people and the altars of state; Father's safety naturally outweighs all else. There is still military strength outside of Luyang; thus, when Luyang is attacked, the main commanding general outside should naturally lead troops back to reinforce rather than stubbornly holding a single city and lacking flexibility."

"Mm, not bad."

"However, this daughter feels that Xingyuan City is of vital importance. If the Vice Chancellor easily withdraws to reinforce, and the Qi army then withdraws without attacking Luyang and instead pounces upon Xingyuan..."

These words stunned the Emperor of Xu, leaving him speechless for a moment.

If that truly happened, Xingyuan City, which they had defended for so long, would be captured by Qi without costing them a single soldier, and the situation would deteriorate even further.

The Third Princess continued: "Therefore, this daughter believes that the Vice Chancellor's retreat for reinforcement stems from his loyalty to his sovereign and father. However, considering the greater picture, retreating for reinforcement must be done with caution. Xingyuan cannot be easily abandoned; the Vice Chancellor should be instructed to await the opportune moment to act."

"What kind of 'awaiting the opportune moment' action?"

"Luyang possesses the Seventeenth Pavilion Master, the Fourth Sister, various generals, and talented scholars from prefectural academies rushing in from all over. The Human Palace even has the great formation protecting it. Even if Qi unleashes its full force to besiege Luyang, they cannot easily take it. If the situation remains favorable, the Vice Chancellor can hold Xingyuan without needing to act rashly. If the situation becomes critical, ordering him to gallop to Luyang's rescue will not be too late."

This eloquent explanation convinced the Emperor of Xu, making him feel that indeed, the matter requested in the memorial could not be rushed.

...

Outside the Human Palace.

The Fourth Princess walked out the entire way, ignoring her Third Sister behind her.

In truth, their ultimate goals were the same, and the results of persuading the Emperor of Xu to accept them were basically identical. Yet their phrasing differed, ultimately causing the emperor to form diametrically opposed perceptions of the two.

This was perhaps a true reflection of their differing personalities.

The Fourth Princess did not fail to understand the "rhetorical arts" employed by her Third Sister; she simply held them in disdain.

The Third Sister also understood that the Fourth Sister was by no means cold-blooded enough to place her own father in danger. Yet when she wanted to persuade her, she did not know where to begin.

She knew that in this regard, she and this sister shared not a single point of commonality.

"Fourth Sister, wait for me."

The Third Princess led Little Seven walking behind, calling out, but the Fourth Princess acted as if she hadn't heard.

"Fourth Sister! Let's go see Shu Le together."

The person ahead slowed her pace.

Speaking of Shu Le, her own heart was filled with extreme grief. If she had been just a fraction faster, perhaps Shu Le wouldn't have had to die.

...

Alas.

The Third Princess usually had less contact with Shu Le than her two younger sisters did, but as a representative of the royal family, she ought to pay her respects.

"Father has already agreed to my request; the imperial edict posthumously conferring Shu Le as the Pavilion Master of Returning Immortality will be issued shortly."

"The person is already dead, what meaning does that have?" the Fourth Princess said coldly.

She was not afraid of offending the imperial father, and the Third Princess did not wish to argue over this point. "I know you are grieving deeply inside, Fourth Sister, and so is Little Seven. Let's go pay our respects to her together."

The state of Xu had established a Pavilion of Pavilion Masters for the pavilion masters, mostly housing the spirit tablets of deceased masters. The pavilion was open to the common people, and every day people went there to offer incense.

Of course, Shu Le could not enter just yet.

Her funeral was set in the Luyang Academy.

Chen Mingguang and Wu Gang had been kneeling there for a very, very long time.

Little Sha, who had retreated from Desheng Pass, also played the role of an obedient child, squatting at the doorway of the mourning hall to do odd jobs.

He probably had never imagined that arriving at the land of his dreams would be accompanied by such a heavy heart.

Many people came to the mourning hall. It was clear that Shu Le's passing had dealt a heavy blow to everyone. Such days were indeed disheartening. Later, three distinguished personages arrived here, all looking like fairy maidens—one stern, one gentle, and wasn't the third one that same person from Desheng Pass?

"Greetings, Third Princess, Fourth Princess, Seventh Princess."

Little Sha peeked with his eyes; so they were all princesses, after all.

The princesses did not say much after arriving, merely bowing and observing a moment of silence.

Before they left, another person dressed in the garb of a young gentleman arrived. It was Ye Xiaoniang.

She had come to find the Third Princess.

...

"Xiaoniang has had a hard journey. Finding me in such a rush, did you make any discoveries at Xiaoyuan Mountain?"

How could there be any discoveries?

Ye Xiaoniang told this close friend everything she knew, saying: "Third Princess, there are no Xiaoyuan Mountain immortals at Xiaoyuan Mountain!"

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Gu Yi—he is the Xiaoyuan Mountain Immortal! He is not some successor; he is the Xiaoyuan Mountain Immortal himself!"

No matter how the Third Princess imagined it, she could never have expected such an outcome.

Gu Yi was the Xiaoyuan Mountain Immortal?

Recalling their first meeting at the Yuzhen Pavilion, although she felt Gu Yi was no ordinary mortal, she had never in her wildest dreams connected him with the world-renowned Xiaoyuan Mountain Immortal.

When she heard that the imperial father had bestowed upon him the title of Scholar Transmitting Immortality, she had already been utterly perplexed.

Thinking back on it now, her father must have known more, which was why he made such a move.

"Where did you get this news? Is there any proof?"

Speaking of proof, Ye Xiaoniang truly had none.

"A cultivator in Quanmen County told me. Moreover, she could point out Ma Yuan. If she didn't recognize Gu Yi and Ma Yuan, how could she possibly know that name?"

This meant they must have known each other previously.

However, the Third Princess was cautious by nature; such an important matter backed by a single person's testimony was hard for her to believe immediately. She said to her attendant beside her, "Go call my Seventh Sister here and tell her I have something to discuss with her."

"Xiaoyuan Mountain Immortal" was a special term to the state of Xu.

If he truly was Gu Yi, and Gu Yi was currently imprisoned, once the enemy utilized this tactic, it would undoubtedly deal a devastating blow to the morale and confidence of the army and people preparing to resist.

Putting everything else aside, an important reason why many people were currently full of confidence was the belief that Xu State still possessed the Xiaoyuan Mountain Immortal. With the immortal making a move, what formidable enemy would fail to retreat?

After the Seventh Princess arrived, the Third Princess asked, "Seventh Sister, I know you are exceptionally close to Gu Yi. Regarding the question of his identity, has he ever revealed even a hint to you? Or from your usual interactions, did you notice anything unusual?"

"Third Sister, why do you ask this?"

The Third Princess did not answer, instead letting Ye Xiaoniang speak.

"Seventh Princess," Xiaoniang bowed, "Ever since Gu Yi was imprisoned in the Great Rain Palace, the Third Princess has wholeheartedly plotted for my siblings and me. Thinking that the successor of Xiaoyuan Mountain was trapped, we naturally had to seek help from the Xiaoyuan Mountain Immortal, so I immediately drove a carriage to Xiaoyuan Mountain."

"Right there, I met a young woman who resembled both Gu Yi and Ma Yuan. She told me that Xiaoyuan Mountain probably has no successor; the Xiaoyuan Mountain Immortal is Gu Yi."

The Seventh Princess was naturally shocked, yet upon second thought, another point occurred to her.

Watching her closely, the Third Princess asked, "Did Seventh Sister think of something?"

"Third Sister, when Shu Le returned to Desheng Pass from the Great Rain Palace, she indeed brought back a similar remark. It was spoken by the Palace Master of the Great Rain Palace."

The expressions of Ye Xiaoniang and the Third Princess turned serious instantly. "What did she say?"

The Seventh Princess indeed retained such a memory.

That time, Shu Le had specifically mentioned it to her.

"Someone must have reported to the Great Rain Palace Master, saying that Gu Yi was the Xiaoyuan Mountain successor, and the Palace Master's reply was: Xiaoyuan Mountain has no successor; this person is a liar."

The Third Princess slammed her palm down heavily. "Damnable!"

"Put that way, Gu Yi truly is the Xiaoyuan Mountain Immortal, yet right now, the immortal is actually trapped within the Great Rain Palace!"

Like everyone else, she had harbored expectations that when the critical moment arrived, the Xiaoyuan Mountain Immortal would not stand idly by and watch Xu State fall.

Yet Ye Xiaoniang and the Seventh Princess were even more astonished by Gu Yi's legendary identity: the universally praised Xiaoyuan Mountain Immortal was actually Gu Yi?

...

Gu Yi was very annoyed right now. After eating their fill, the long-legged cat and Yan Lang had vanished again. He had told them to take a bath to wash away the musky odor, but those words had fallen on deaf ears and they simply hadn't listened.

They were truly a pair of unruly bear-cubs.

The only lucky thing for them was that Gu Yi couldn't beat them yet.

He just hoped that one day he would break through to the Sacred Realm of Yun; by then, they certainly wouldn't have such easy days ahead.

From Xiao Er's account, they were still within the borders of Qi. The location of the Great Rain Palace was not somewhere in the physical world's mountains and rivers; the spot chosen by Little Yiyi was actually closer to the west.

This place was still very, very far from Luyang.

The latest intelligence he received could be from two weeks ago, when the war had only just begun to affect the region.

Gu Yi did not know how Luyang was faring. He felt some hidden worries, yet he wasn't anxious enough to lose sleep over it, because it was useless—he couldn't cross space to go straight to Luyang.

Pulling a long face was not his personality. Besides, he had been physically and mentally exhausted these past few days, and now that he had newly recovered from his illness, he might as well eat a full meal, take a hot bath, and maintain a good state of mind.

Yet he couldn't quite bring himself to be cheerful either, for he knew that Shu Le was gone.

Knock, knock.

Someone was knocking on the door.

Gu Yi had just finished dressing and hadn't had time to fix his hair yet. "Who is it?"

"It's me."

It was Shuyu.

Though their group of four was said to be four, it felt practically like two.

Only Shuyu would come over to talk to him.

Gu Yi ran to open the door. "Is something the matter?"

Shuyu showed him the scroll in her hand. "Military report."

It wasn't issued by Xu State, but rather by Qi.

The young woman said: "After the fall of Desheng Pass, the Qi army fell into a bitter dispute over two choices: whether to attack Luyang or sweep away the Xu army in Xingyuan. Those who chose to attack Luyang argued that it was the center of Xu State, and only by breaking Luyang could Xu's foundation be uprooted; if they attacked Xingyuan first, then breaking through Desheng Pass would lose its meaning."

"However, others wanted to play it safe, believing that capturing Xingyuan first and then besieging Luyang was the soundest strategy. If they rashly attacked Luyang and suffered a setback, the consequences would be unimaginable. This dispute won't be settled in ten days or half a month, and even once settled, the actual attack on Luyang won't happen for another month. You... don't need to worry about your friends in Luyang. There's no need to rush; there is still time."

Gu Yi read the scroll; it was largely consistent with what she had described.

"You're showing me Qi's military report? If your palace master finds out, her temper won't let you off easily."

Gu Yi didn't know what her intentions were at the moment; was this considered "colluding with the enemy"?

"If I return to Luyang and step onto the battlefield, you and I will be enemies."

Shuyu said: "You saved me anyway. If I have to be killed, it must be my destined fate."

Gu Yi remarked: "Why have you started believing in fate? What are you planning to do now? Do you have clarity in your own mind? You said you weren't willing to return for the time being, but I am going to Luyang. So, are you planning to follow me back to Luyang?"

Shuyu glanced at Gu Yi. Her pupils, brilliant as the Milky Way, were clear and sparkling. Little Yiyi had once claimed there were even prettier women of the Mo clan; perhaps there were, but Gu Yi felt Shuyu was already exceptionally stunning.

"Actually, this choice isn't difficult for me. I'm not afraid of anything; what I'm afraid of is..."

"...What I'm afraid of is that the people of Luyang will find out my identity and want to kill me to vent their hatred, and that you will stand on their side."

Gu Yi held his head in a headache. "Why put yourself through this?"

"I don't know either."

"This isn't an easy choice, and you've already suffered enough."

"That's why I'm really not afraid of hardship. For someone whose heart is extremely bitter and painful, if they want to find happiness, they don't need a lot of sweetness; just a tiny bit of sweetness is more than enough."

Gu Yi scratched his head, wondering what on earth he should do.

He wasn't good at handling this kind of situation.

As for Shuyu, she seemed to be the type who, once she made up her mind, would act quite proactively. Seeing Gu Yi stay silent, she asked, "Then are you willing to take me to Luyang?"

"Uh, no wait, what are you thinking?"

The young woman sighed with a dramatic flair. "You kidnapped a young woman of the Mo clan. I know you didn't do anything, but nobody will believe that now. I could easily just walk away—you go to Luyang, and I return to the palace. But no matter what anyone says, this is still a beastly act on your part. No matter how you explain it, nobody will believe you, and the same goes for me. From now on, nobody will believe that I wasn't violated by you."

Gu Yi straightened his posture. "On what grounds?"

Shuyu took off her veil. "Don't you know on what grounds?"

Though he had seen her face before, looking at it again now made Gu Yi freeze for a few seconds, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

"Then... are you doing this because you're afraid you won't be able to get married in the future, so you've just given up caring?"

"Perhaps, I also just want to stay with you. For the palace master and me, encountering someone willing to restrain themselves and respect us is not easy. Even if you only made the slightest bit of effort, it feels very precious in my eyes."

"Your friend was right; the true Mo clan is kind, generous, and grateful for kindness, rather than full of hatred, narrow-minded, and eccentric. I want to become the kind of person she spoke of, and I also hate that past version of myself that you disliked."

For a moment, Gu Yi was slow to react. When Gu Baici had said that back then, he hadn't fully believed it.

"Then... what about your palace master? This counts as defecting to the enemy, you know."

"A woman of the Mo clan: if she hates you, it's a fight to the death; if she loves you, she gives her all. Didn't you already know this when you first met me?"

She actually spoke these words with a smile, and that smiling expression almost caused Gu Yi to lose his focus.