Chapter 104

Several years had passed. The young general, who had once still carried a hint of youthful naivety, now stood there with an even more overwhelming presence than before, making it hard to breathe.
Shao Jingyu.
Shao Jingyu's open appearance in Changzhou meant the city had fallen, a result Yan Yiming had anticipated.
Shao Jingyu had been ordered to return to the capital and suppress Chancellor Jian. Taking Changzhou was only a matter of time. The only surprise for Yan Yiming was how quickly Shao Jingyu had captured the city, especially since the prefect of Changzhou had previously sworn he could hold off the Xia army until Prince of Jiangxia arrived. Now, with the city gates breached, Shao Jingyu had succeeded faster than she expected.
No matter how valiant Shao Jingyu was, facing a heavily fortified city wall was not the same as sweeping across the grasslands. This victory must have involved coordination from within.
The outside force was Shao Jingyu; the inside collaborator was almost certainly Jian Yuyan.
Once again, Jian Yuyan had secured a chance for himself and Jian Yu'er to survive. Nan Gongxuan had already been rescued, and Shao Jingyu and Jiang Yi were in no danger. Everything was unfolding within Yan Yiming’s predictions, yet she couldn’t relax.
She had intended to slip away unnoticed, but as luck would have it, she ran into Shao Jingyu.
Now, escape was out of the question.
Yan Yiming felt a surge of frustration.
Jian Yuyan might still be in Changzhou. She didn’t know if he had grown suspicious. Although Shao Jingyu probably wouldn’t recognize her, there was always the risk that Nan Gongxuan might reveal something and arouse Shao Jingyu’s doubts.
With that in mind, Yan Yiming dismissed the idea of attempting a desperate escape. If she resorted to martial arts in front of Shao Jingyu, it would be as good as confessing.
Since she couldn’t flee, she had no choice but to surrender. Even as the daughter of Prince of Jiangxia, she was also the one who had saved the Crown Prince. Out of respect for the Crown Prince, Shao Jingyu wouldn’t treat her too harshly. As long as she remained cautious, he likely wouldn’t uncover her identity.
As for Jian Yuyan, no matter how suspicious he became, if she simply denied everything, what could he do?
Steeling herself, Yan Yiming pretended not to know Shao Jingyu. Maintaining a guarded expression, she rested her hand on the hilt of her sword and asked hesitantly, “May I ask who you are?”
The Shao Jingyu she hadn’t seen in years was no longer the fiery, passionate youth of the past. His cold, mocking eyes held no trace of warmth. He showed no intention of answering her question. Upon learning that the Crown Prince had been found safe, his gaze shifted away from her. He coldly ordered, “Tie her up,” then turned his horse and rode off.
The person beside Shao Jingyu was also deeply familiar. Yun Xiao rode forward and gestured for the soldiers to act. Yan Yiming cursed under her breath, “Bastard,” then unbuckled the long sword at her waist, threw it to the ground, and held out her hands.
Her compliance took Yun Xiao by surprise. Yan Yiming looked up and said, “Go on, tie me up.”
Yun Xiao coughed awkwardly. “My apologies, Princess.”
Just a few years ago, they had been comrades who ate together and fought side by side. Now, she was a prisoner. Yan Yiming sighed ruefully, lifting her gaze to the city of Changzhou, where the flag of Great Xia once again flew. She could only hope the remaining six months would pass peacefully.
Changzhou had fallen, Chancellor Jian had been captured, but Wei Xiongjie had cleverly managed to escape. Shao Jingyu showed no mercy, ordering Yan Yiming to be treated like a death-row prisoner and thrown directly into a prison cell. Yun Xiao, standing nearby, found the situation with Princess Ming rather amusing. He joked to Shao Jingyu,
“Princess Ming is still a young lady, and she saved the Crown Prince's life. You truly have no sense of chivalry toward the fairer sex.”
“What pity is there for the daughter of a traitor?” Shao Jingyu scoffed coldly, removing his armor and changing into a form-fitting black martial attire that accentuated his tall, imposing figure.
The two men left the courtyard and headed to the main hall to meet Nan Gongxuan.
After days of hardship, Nan Gongxuan had finally regained his freedom. Having bathed and changed, he had restored his former handsome appearance. After discussing the current situation in Changzhou and regarding Prince of Jiangxia with his deputy general and confirming everything was under control, he finally relaxed and inquired about Yan Yiming's whereabouts.
The deputy general replied dutifully, “Your Highness, Princess Ming has been apprehended by the general and is currently held in the Changzhou prison, awaiting transport to the capital.”
Nan Gongxuan's expression shifted. “In prison?”
She had risked her life to save him, only to be thrown into a cell. Nan Gongxuan immediately ordered the deputy to have her released.
The deputy hesitated. “But... this was General Shao's direct order...”
“General Shao commanded you to imprison her, and I am now commanding you to release her. Is there a conflict?” Nan Gongxuan raised an eyebrow.
Shao Jingyu entered just in time to hear Nan Gongxuan's words. The deputy, relieved to see Shao Jingyu, glanced at him. Shao Jingyu cast a brief look at the deputy and said, “Since His Highness has given the order, bring her here.”
The deputy nodded and prepared to carry out the command, but Nan Gongxuan waved his hand. “No need to rush. Have the western courtyard prepared and assign maids to attend to the princess and help her freshen up. Also, summon a reputable physician from the city.”
“Has Your Highness been injured?”
“I am unharmed, but the princess suffered greatly for my sake. Though Prince of Jiangxia has rebelled, the princess is not cut from the same cloth,” Nan Gongxuan sighed, signaling for the deputy to proceed before letting out a self-mocking sigh. “I never imagined I would one day find myself in such a state.”
That Nan Gongxuan could speak so openly to Shao Jingyu showed their close familiarity. Shao Jingyu, no longer as cold and aloof, relaxed considerably and said, “Chancellor Jian has been entrenched in the court for so many years, it was impossible to guard against him entirely. Your Highness need not dwell on it.”
Nan Gongxuan smiled faintly. Some words could be spoken, while others could not. For instance, he could lament the fickleness of human hearts but could not criticize his own father's ruthlessness. He sighed, steering the conversation away, and returned to the topic of Yan Yiming. “Thanks to the princess's assistance this time, I never thought I would be saved so many times by a woman.”
Had anyone else heard this, they might have attributed it to his good fortune, feeling no ripple of emotion. But the listener happened to be Shao Jingyu.
Shao Jingyu's heart, usually as still as a dry well, suddenly felt as if a small stone had been cast into it, sending faint, aching ripples through his chest.
Many years ago, he too had been saved by a woman on numerous occasions. She had silently followed behind him, bearing all the pain and suffering, yet in the end, she had perished by his hand.
Shao Jingyu closed his eyes, which had suddenly grown sore and heavy, and said, “Your subject... was also once saved many times by a woman.”
Nan Gongxuan's heart stirred as he observed the anguish on Shao Jingyu's face, recalling the sensational rumors that had swept the capital years ago. That renowned female general, who had saved Shao Jingyu multiple times and achieved countless military feats, had all her merits erased by Shao Jingyu. Under the guise of love, she was confined to the inner chambers, ultimately meeting a tragic end in the squabbles of the women there.
Nan Gongxuan had always felt profound regret over that story.
Unbidden, his thoughts drifted to recent days, the image of Yan Yiming wielding a long blade amidst the chaos of pursuing soldiers, a sight that stirred the soul. How much more awe-inspiring must she have been, facing thousands of troops with unshakable calm and resolve.
If that female general were still alive, she would undoubtedly be a woman even more admirable than Princess Ming.
Nan Gongxuan had been lamenting his own plight, but now he suddenly felt that Shao Jingyu before him was even more pitiable. He sighed, patting Shao Jingyu's shoulder. “The departed are gone, General... Ah...”
“Let's not dwell on the past,” Shao Jingyu concealed the emotions in his eyes. When he lifted his head again, he had already returned to his usual composure. He smiled and chatted idly with Nan Gongxuan for a while before taking his leave.
Less than half an hour after his departure, someone else came looking for him, Jian Yuyan.
In the recent capture of the city, Jian Yuyan was undoubtedly the one who had contributed the most. Through their coordination from within and without, they had taken Changzhou in just three days and captured Chancellor Jian alive.
Jian Yuyan did not explain why he had betrayed the Chancellor, but instead pleaded with Shao Jingyu to intercede with the Emperor to spare the lives of Madam Jian and Jian Yu'er.
Having abandoned Jian Yu'er in the past, Shao Jingyu already owed her a debt of gratitude. Even if Jian Yuyan hadn't mentioned it, Shao Jingyu would have spoken up on their behalf. After that, the two had not spoken again, and Jian Yuyan had never sought him out.
Thus, Shao Jingyu was inevitably surprised.
But what astonished him even more was that Jian Yuyan had come to him for the same reason as the Crown Prince, to plead for Princess Ming.
Shao Jingyu did not reveal that the Crown Prince had already secured Princess Ming's safety. Instead, he glanced sidelong at Jian Yuyan and remarked, “I wasn't aware that you and Princess Ming were so close.”
After returning to the capital, Shao Jingyu had headed straight for Changzhou and had not heard of the ambiguous past between Princess Ming and Jian Yuyan. He could somewhat sense that there was something unusual between the Crown Prince and Princess Ming, but he hadn't expected the same with Jian Yuyan.
Jian Yuyan had waited all these days. Now that the city had fallen, Chancellor Jian was captured, and the Crown Prince and Princess Ming had been found, he was eager to clarify the things he couldn't understand.
For a moment, he didn't catch the insinuation in Shao Jingyu's words and only vaguely indicated that he had some matters to discuss with Princess Ming.
Observing Jian Yuyan's agitation, Shao Jingyu finally felt a flicker of amusement at the unfolding drama. He smiled leisurely and said, “Princess Ming is currently residing in the western villa.”
Seeing Jian Yuyan about to rush off to the villa, Shao Jingyu clicked his tongue and chuckled before adding, “Princess Ming is the Crown Prince's savior. His Highness has already personally ordered her to be moved out. However, she is likely bathing and changing at the moment. It would be best if you waited a little longer before going, Young Master Jian.”
Jian Yuyan paused for a moment, then retracted the leg he had just stepped out with.
When he first learned that Yan Yiming had deceived him, Jian Yuyan was furious. But soon after, he received further news from his hidden guards, which made him hesitate.
His initial reaction was to assume that Yan Yiming had long found A'Ming and hidden her away, threatening her life to force her compliance. However, the hidden guard later revealed that the portrait of A'Ming had been personally drawn by Princess Ming, and to conceal her handwriting, the original painting had been destroyed.
This detail made Jian Yuyan suspicious.
Subsequently, after Yan Yiming left, Jian Yuyan used Wei Xiongjie to thoroughly investigate all of Yan Yiming's connections, but no one knew of A'Ming's whereabouts. This overturned the assumption that Princess Ming had secretly hidden A'Ming.
So how did Princess Ming come to know about those letters, A'Ming's messages, and the stories he and A'Ming had shared?
Jian Yuyan couldn't figure it out, couldn't understand why Princess Ming was so intricately connected to A'Ming. He urgently needed to confront Yan Yiming and get answers.
As soon as Yan Yiming stepped out, she hadn't gone far before running into the person she least wanted to see. Jian Yuyan, who had been waiting outside for who knows how long, immediately strode toward her upon spotting her.