Chapter 4 — One Sword Cuts Our Ties

Bui Trai, back when I was stationed at the remote frontier, the very first person I came to know was none other than His Majesty.

He froze on the spot, utterly struck dumb. I no longer spared him a glance, turning instead to address Eunuch Chu.

Let us go, Eunuch.

I had merely taken a single step forward when my wrist was abruptly seized in a firm grip. Bui Trai fingers tightened mercilessly around me. In an instant, every eye in the vicinity turned upon him. Eunuch Chu offered a placid smile. His tone was honeyed and gentle, yet the underlying weight of his words brooked no argument.

Marquis, His Majesty is still awaiting Madam Shen within the palace walls.

At those words, the pressure around my wrist slowly began to dissipate. I jerked my arm free from Bui Trai grasp and strode firmly ahead. Eunuch Chu bowed slightly, clearing the path before following closely behind me as we departed the courtyard. Though I did not turn my head, I could acutely feel a gaze fixed upon my retreating figure the entire time. Once we entered the inner palace precincts, Xiao Jinghang received me within the Imperial Study. He sat behind the stately writing desk, occupied with polishing a longsword. From the spine down to the razor-sharp edge, he inspected every single inch with meticulous care. His movements were exceedingly practiced, betraying the fact that this was far from the first time he had engaged in such a task.

May Your Majesty be granted eternal peace.

Hearing the sound of my voice, he raised his head. His gaze swept briefly across my face before descending to my knees, where his eyebrows arched ever so slightly.

I heard that your knees were injured. Have they fully healed by now?

I lowered my gaze in respectful response.

Replying to Your Majesty, they are entirely healed.

He let out a cold, cynical chuckle, laden with a complex meaning that was difficult to fathom.

I never would have imagined that you possessed such a remarkable capacity for forbearance nowadays.

I remained silent, offering no retort. Xiao Jinghang lifted the sword in his hand, the blade glinting with a frigid, piercing light. He stared at the weapon, then shifted his gaze back to me.

Do you still remember this sword?

I fixed my eyes upon the blade, which remained as lethal and gleaming as it had all those years ago, and for a fleeting moment, I was utterly transfixed.

How could I possibly forget.

08

How could I ever forget.

Gazing at the sword, my voice unconsciously softened. That very weapon had accompanied me through seven long years of bloodshed. When I was seventeen years old and set foot upon the battlefield for the very first time, it was this exact blade I held in my grasp. The intricate tassel adorning the hilt had been woven by my own hands. I had used the most common red cord found throughout the borderlands. While other young maidens utilized red silk to weave knots of eternal harmony, I used mine to craft a sword tassel. The very ends of the tassels had long since been frayed from constant friction, and their once-vibrant crimson had faded significantly. Just beneath the crossguard lay a minuscule scratch, a lingering scar from a sparring match I once had with Xiao Jinghang. Back then, Xiao Jinghang was not yet the emperor. He had concealed his true identity, adopting a false name to serve as a lowly military adviser within the army camp. Not a single soul knew that the young man who ate and slept alongside the common soldiers every day, clad in coarse, unadorned robes, was actually the reigning imperial prince. Everyone simply called him Li Xing, assuming him to be the scion of some noble family who had been smuggled into the military ranks merely to accumulate superficial merits. He harbored no aristocratic airs, spoke with gentle civility, and could converse with absolutely anyone with ease. Yet, solely toward me, he always seemed to take pleasure in uttering prickly, vexing remarks. On that particular day, he intercepted me on the training grounds right before a multitude of onlookers, speaking with supreme nonchalance.

Shen Mingduan, you are a mere woman, why on earth must you come to the borderlands to swallow sand?

You would be far better off returning to the capital to find a suitable family to marry into. Assisting your husband and educating your children is the proper and righteous path for someone like you.

My footsteps came to an abrupt halt, and I turned my head to glare at him.

Does Military Adviser Li perhaps feel that my swordsmanship is subpar?

I never made any such assertion.

Then what on earth do you mean by those words?

He raised an eyebrow, seemingly finding my reaction thoroughly amusing.

What I mean is that the battlefield is no place for a woman.

I have spent three full years right here, and the number of enemy soldiers I have slain is by no means fewer than anyone else's.

I stared straight into his eyes.

If Military Adviser Li feels that my swordsmanship is lacking, why not put it to the test yourself?

The surrounding soldiers fell into a stunned silence for a brief moment before erupting into a roaring wave of cheers and encouragement. He nodded in quiet assent.

Very well.

That sparring match concluded with me drawing my blade and slicing open his arm. Li Xing stepped back by half a pace and stood his ground. His sleeve was slashed open, blood instantly soaking through half of his garments. He suddenly raised his gaze to look at me, and a sudden smile broke across his face.

Exquisite swordsmanship.

At that time, I remained completely ignorant of his imperial lineage. Shortly thereafter, the commanding general of the army personally sought me out in my tent, his complexion turning an alarming shade of pale green.

That man is none other than the reigning Second Imperial Prince. If you have no desire to incur his wrath, you had best go and offer your apologies immediately.

As I knelt outside the grand pavilion of Xiao Jinghang, my heart hammered furiously against my ribs like a war drum. I cared little for offending him, but I harbored a deep dread that he might banish me from the military camp altogether. The heavy tent flap was lifted, and Xiao Jinghang emerged. His arm had already been wrapped in pristine white bandages. The commanding general, standing off to the side, frantically signaled with his eyes, urging me to quickly beg for forgiveness. Yet, before my words of penitence could even cross my lips, he spoke first.

Enough, get up off the floor.

His gaze swept past my frame and came to rest firmly upon the sword hanging at my waist.

That sword of yours is not half bad.

Since you are intent on offering recompense, let this weapon serve as restitution.

I remained kneeling upon the cold earth, my fingers curling tightly around the scabbard, frozen in place for a long while without moving an inch. This sword had been left behind by my late father. Ever since I turned seventeen, it had constantly remained by my side, never once parting from me. Observing my clear reluctance, a sudden chuckle escaped his lips.

Are you truly that reluctant to part with it?

I offered no response.

Your reluctance is entirely justified.

Following that fateful day, that very sword fell into Xiao Jinghang's possession. I had initially assumed he would casually toss it into some forgotten corner to gather dust, but to my utter astonishment, he preserved and guarded it with the utmost care.