The two of them crouched at the corner of the wall, occasionally glancing toward the great hall.
Wu Li plucked a blade of grass out of sheer boredom, twisting it around his fingers to weave a grass centipede. "Mimi, since you can tell fortunes, have you figured out whether Song Yueyao got what she wanted or not?"
Chai Xiaomi was about to answer when she saw what he was doing. She slapped the grass centipede out of his hand before replying, "Of course she did."
"Sister Yao used that Rainbow Stone to successfully rescue her mother from the Cold Palace, and she also retrieved the Tiger Tally for the Nie family army," she said, a hint of pride creeping into her voice. "Speaking of which, I was the one who stole that Rainbow Stone."
At this moment, Liangya Prefecture was at a complete loss. If it had been a time of peace and prosperity, Song Hu would never have conceded so easily. Even though the Nie family army was only a remnant, they were still elite troops. Passing the Tiger Tally to Song Yueyao was like a fishbone stuck in his throat.
But now, within the imperial court, no one could shoulder the burden, and no one dared to accept the Tiger Tally.
Whoever accepted it would have to go to the battlefield and deliver themselves to the barbarians.
During times of stability, the Tiger Tally was a hot commodity—but in times of war, it turned into a hot potato.
Inside the great hall.
The ministers watched as Song Yueyao accepted the amnesty decree for her mother and the tiger-shaped Tiger Tally.
The looks cast her way were either sympathetic, mocking, or derisive.
No one believed that this young woman, who didn't know her place, could ever revive the Nie family army's banner.
But a very few hid a glimmer of admiration in their eyes, though they dared not show it, suppressed by the silent pressure of Grand Preceptor Yin.
Grand Preceptor Yin took the Rainbow Stone that Song Yueyao had presented, examined it closely, then smiled faintly. He turned and presented it to Song Hu.
Song Hu raised his eyebrows slightly and suddenly asked, "What about those friends of yours? Why didn't you bring them to meet me?"
Song Yueyao was momentarily taken aback.
She knew that news must have come from Grand Preceptor Yin's shadow agents, but she hadn't expected him to take an interest in her entourage. She lowered her eyes and replied calmly, "In reply, Father Emperor, I came to the capital alone this time."
Grand Preceptor Yin said, "What a pity. The battlefield knows no mercy, Princess. When you head to Deer City, please take care. Don't miss the chance to see your friends one last time."
Grand Preceptor Yin looked up, his gaze sweeping past her to the door of the hall. He clearly sensed something unusual.
Song Yueyao shot him a cold glare. "You worry too much, Grand Preceptor. You'd better pray that I come back alive."
If she had the chance to return alive, she would cleanse the emperor's side of corruption.
No, she would cleanse the emperor himself.
A man who would surrender his realm to the enemy did not deserve to sit on that dragon throne.
The situation was urgent. For now, she had to deal with the external threat first, then resolve the internal problems.
Life in the Cold Palace was nothing compared to the pain of losing a daughter.
When Nie Qing saw Song Yueyao again, she held her like a lost treasure and burst into loud sobs.
"I am useless as a mother. I couldn't protect the Nie family name, and I couldn't protect you! You've just returned, and now you have to go to the battlefield. There's only one child left from the Nie family!"
Song Yueyao looked at her mother, who had wasted away in the Cold Palace, and wiped away her tears.
She had no time for more tender words.
At the palace gates, the remnants of the Nie family army were already assembled and ready to march. They were heading to Deer City to rescue Xiao Yan, the former trusted subordinate of her grandfather.
"Mother, I've arranged for a nanny to escort you out of the palace. If I return, I will surely tear down this royal city and welcome you back to a new home." She paused. "But if I don't come back... leave Liangya Prefecture and find a quiet place to spend your remaining years."
In that battle over a decade ago,
countless soldiers of the Nie family army perished. Only the ten thousand troops garrisoned in the capital survived by chance.
So, the Tiger Tally in Song Yueyao's hand could only mobilize ten thousand men at most. And the battle at Deer City had already cost them twenty thousand. This battle she faced was immeasurably difficult.
But when she began counting the troops before departure, she found the numbers growing.
"What's going on?" Song Yueyao, alerted, hurried from the front of the column to the back.
When she saw the last group of people, she froze.
They had no armor, only coarse hemp clothing. Some were missing a leg, others an arm. Their bodies were covered in scars, and a gust of wind would reveal the hideous old wounds.
When they saw her, their eyes reddened.
The man at the front, missing an arm, was the first to kneel, his voice choked with tears. "Princess... we are all soldiers of the Nie family army. After that battle years ago, we were badly wounded and couldn't follow the old general to the end. We were sent home, our armor removed, and we returned to farming."
He said, pounding his chest with his one remaining arm, "Don't let these missing limbs fool you—we haven't neglected our martial arts! For more than a decade, we haven't skipped a single day of training!"
"That's right, Princess!" Another old soldier, a crippled one, hobbled forward with his crutch, grinning with a wide smile. "We can't ride horses, but we can fight on foot! We can't use spears, but we can still wield a saber! When we get on the battlefield, we can still take enemy heads!"
"Yes! Take their heads!"
"The Nie family army's blood debt—we've remembered it for over a decade!"
"Now that Princess is leading us into battle with the Nie family Tiger Tally, we old bones will crawl to Deer City if we have to!"
Voices erupted one after another from the ranks.
Some lifted their robes to reveal polished short knives tucked at their waists. Others pulled out the Nie family army tokens they had kept for years—held them high with trembling hands. Some stood straight on their crutches, tears and fire in their clouded eyes.
Song Yueyao stood still, her throat tight as if blocked.
She looked at their weathered faces, their broken bodies, the unquenchable fire still burning in their eyes.
It was the fire of the Nie family army.
"Alright."
Song Yueyao spoke, clasped her hands together, and bowed deeply.
"Uncles and elders," she said, leaping onto her horse. She wore gleaming silver armor, a dark cape across her shoulders, and red tassels on her helmet like flames. "Follow me. Let's kill the barbarians and bring Vice General Xiao home!"
"Kill the barbarians! Bring Vice General Xiao home!"
"Kill the barbarians! Kill the barbarians!"
The roars shook the heavens, startling a flock of crows from beyond the palace walls.
At the same time,
on the official road from the capital to Deer City, a black horse galloped like lightning.
Two people sat on its back.
Wu Li glanced down at the girl in his arms. Her eyes were red like a little rabbit's as she stared blankly at the receding capital. He spoke sourly, "You've been crying for others a lot these days."
Chai Xiaomi could still hear those deafening shouts echoing in her ears. "Didn't you think that scene just now was totally lit?"
Wu Li asked, "What is lit?"
Chai Xiaomi said, "It means your inner universe is boiling over."
Wu Li asked, "What is an inner universe?"
"Oh, forget it." Chai Xiaomi paused, then changed the subject. "Anyway, Sister Yao's situation is too tough. We have to help her. That Vice General Xiao—can you sneak him out without anyone noticing?"
"Naturally," Wu Li answered lightly. To him, it was as easy as taking something from a bag.
But Chai Xiaomi's mood didn't lighten.
In the book, this battle was described in just a few brief sentences.
It was only when she personally saw Song Yueyao standing before an army of ten thousand, saw the resolute light in her eyes,
that Chai Xiaomi truly understood the weight of her heart in that moment.
That was not entering a battle.
That was marching toward death.
Ten thousand against fifty thousand—such an overwhelming disparity.
If she hadn’t known the outcome in advance, she wouldn’t have dared to watch the fight, let alone join the front lines herself.
As she stood there lost in thought, Wu Li’s confident voice came from above: “What are you worrying about? Trust me, we won’t lose this battle.”
Chai Xiaomi blinked, trying to recall. She hadn’t told him how this battle would end. How did he already know the spoiler?
Wait.
Could he have other plans?
“What are you trying to do?” She spun around abruptly, grabbed his ear, and fixed him with a stern stare. “Old Ji took on the last bloodshed for you to spare you from backlash. You can’t just take lives randomly now!”
Wu Li obediently lowered his head, as if offering his ear for her to hold, yet his tone wriggled with teasing: “Gentler, please. I’ve never met a fiercer little bride than you in this whole world.”
“I’m more than fierce—I can bite too! Don’t change the subject. Are you about to break your vow not to kill?”
“Last time, when my murderous aura spiraled out of control, I almost hurt you. Naturally, I won’t make that mistake again.” He looked down at her. “Mimi, have you noticed? Those people aren’t afraid to die. Their eyes hold a will stronger than death itself. Will is the most powerful weapon in the world—it can drive everything and crush everything.”
“So I suspect, this battle is destined to be won.”
