Chapter 154: The Mind of a Woman

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The air seemed to carry the scent of bloodshed and turmoil. The sunlight was warm and gentle, yet it clashed starkly with the cold bloodstains scattered across the ground.

She lifted her head, squinting against the glaring sun, raising her hand to shield her eyes, though sunlight still pierced through her fingers.

"Zuo Qiu Liye, have you lost your mind?" She withdrew her hand and met the smile playing at his lips with a chilling gaze. "Are you insane?"

"Xiao Xue, do you know the consequences of angering me? Or do you believe that I am incapable of truly losing my temper with you, and thus you feel safe from any real punishment?" His eyes locked onto hers, his expression inscrutable.

"No, it's not you who’s insane. It’s me." Blood Snow ignored him, shaking her head lightly. "What do any of these matters have to do with me?" With that, her expression returned to normal, and she withdrew from any further engagement with Zuo Qiu Liye.

The small town was nearly overrun by the royal guards, yet she still found it impossible to believe that Zuo Qiu Liye would truly order a massacre of the town—a deed so brutal...

"These commoners dared to act against His Majesty; killing them is but just punishment," Yun Wu thought bitterly. She considered the blind girl to be weak; their sovereign was the ruler of a nation, a person of utmost dignity, who had nearly lost his life here and even bore a scar on his face. Such offenses warranted death.

"Let’s just hope they aren’t reborn as the ‘commoners’ you disdain in their next life," he said. Blood Snow chose not to delve deeper into his words.

Yet, such a cruel distinction between classes was truly pitiful and detestable. Is it right to deny the lives of all for the sins of one?

"You are a guest of our sovereign; it would be best not to meddle in these matters," Yun Wu said politely, though her tone was laced with irony. After all, even their sovereign’s attitude toward this girl was somewhat uncertain.

Earlier, she had spoken disrespectfully to their lord, and any other person would have been punished severely, possibly even having their tongue cut out. Yet this girl walked away unscathed.

"A guest? So this is how your Wu Kingdom treats its guests?" she murmured, her gaze dazed as she took in the scene before her.

The faint scent of blood in the air seemed to grow stronger, as if fresh blood had splattered upon her nose. She looked up at the swaying branches stirred by the wind. The coppery smell came on the breeze, perhaps from a river of blood spilling somewhere at the wind’s origin.

She shook her head; it felt heavy and dull, and a headache was creeping in...

"Yun Wu." Nearby, Zuo Qiu Liye glanced at Yun Wu standing beside Blood Snow, his eyes flickering with displeasure.

Yun Wu hurried over. "Master, what are your orders?"

"Don’t speak unnecessarily." His face showed no anger, only a contemplative gaze toward Blood Snow’s direction.

"I dare not," she replied.

Meanwhile, Blood Snow leaned against a tree, her head growing heavy and sluggish. She felt weak and her mind foggy.

Had she caught a chill last night?

She touched her forehead—it was slightly warm. Her throat was dry and uncomfortable.

Gradually, she found herself unable to think clearly; her consciousness slipped into a haze.

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Zezhou.

Beneath the city walls, a thousand ironclad cavalrymen stood in tight formation, their dark mass seeming poised to break through the city gates.

Last night, the Ji Kingdom had not launched a surprise attack. The soldiers rested peacefully in their camps, having spent considerable time marching from the Qin River to set up their encampment. Conversely, the soldiers of the Wu Kingdom on the city walls were on edge all night, fearing a sudden assault from Ji forces. Their weariness was evident.

Now, seeing the overwhelming military strength of the Ji Kingdom amassed beneath the gates, the defenders’ morale visibly wavered.

"What are they plotting? They bring troops to the gates but make no move, just standing there..."

"There must be a trick, a surprise attack hidden somewhere..."

"I don’t think so. I believe they fear us. The walls of Zezhou are formidable, easy to defend, hard to conquer..."

"True. Perhaps the Ji Kingdom is nervous too..."

The soldiers guarding the gates finally whispered among themselves. After waiting a long time with no action from Ji, their tension eased. They believed no attack would come for the moment.

"The king’s strategy is indeed clever. They’ve begun to relax their guard," said Yu Bufan, lifting the curtain of his carriage to observe outside, marveling at Ji Wuqing’s plan.

"It’s simply common sense," Ji Wuqing said, propping his head up with his hand. His eyes were closed, yet his mind was sharper than anyone’s.

Their arrival would undoubtedly unsettle the Wu soldiers, who hastened here fearing a midnight assault. Their sleepless night left them fatigued. Now, the Ji forces blocked the gates without moving, their morale and numbers superior.

"They’ve grown complacent, thinking they’re safe. This is our moment to strike," Yu Bufan said. "With the king personally commanding, victory will come swiftly."

Victory?

All he truly cared about was Blood’s safety.

Zuo Qiu Liye had yet to appear, but he was determined to force him out.

Before they could act, the city gates of Zezhou slowly opened. A soldier, bearing the air of a messenger, rode forward to Ji’s forces, holding a letter and loudly demanding to meet King Ji.

"This letter is from our sovereign. Your queen is in our hands. Withdraw your troops at once, or we will sever one of her arms and send it as a greeting to King Ji," the messenger declared, riding back and forth arrogantly as if granted immunity.

The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances—had the Wu Kingdom truly captured their queen?

They were uncertain. The queen’s status was exalted; this matter was grave.

At worst, it concerned the nation’s fate, the king’s honor, and the queen’s reputation.

The Wu soldiers atop the walls looked puzzled, then grew confident. Holding such a bargaining chip, the tide of war between Wu and Ji might shift. Everyone knew how deeply King Ji doted on the queen—a legendary affection.

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Soon, the letter reached Ji Wuqing’s hands.

"King, could it be that Zuo Qiu Liye has already arrived in Zezhou, bringing the queen with him?"

Ji Wuqing leisurely held the letter but did not open it. His gaze was icy. "They want me to retreat and sully Blood’s reputation—how deluded..."

Within Zezhou, Gong Shen Ling’er stood beneath the city walls, awaiting a response.

She wore a deep purple robe, dignified and elegant, with a hint of coldness and depth. Her beautiful face remained expressionless. Now, cornered by Ji Wuqing, she wondered if this gambit would work against him.

"Young master, you are acting rashly," Yue Chengxi approached from afar. He had only been gone briefly but was surprised Gong Shen Ling’er had taken such a drastic step, letting the news spread that Ji’s queen was captured by their sovereign.

"Are you blaming me?" Gong Shen Ling’er looked at him with a sharp tone.

"You don’t understand Ji Wuqing. As an emperor, he fiercely protects the women he loves. Now that the news of the queen’s capture is public, her reputation is in ruins. For this alone, Ji Wuqing will not relent." Yue Chengxi’s gaze was sharp, his voice cold and piercing like moonlight, lacking softness.

"How could it be otherwise? Blood Snow is indeed in the sovereign’s hands."

"But is the sovereign truly in Zezhou? Even if he is, he wouldn’t stoop to such a low tactic. Wu Kingdom uses a woman as leverage to threaten Ji Kingdom, shaking our morale and bringing shame upon us."

"These are merely your speculations, Elder Yue. As long as we can hold back the powerful Ji forces and keep Zezhou secure for now..."

"Young master, don’t dress it up so grandly. It’s just your personal feelings clouding your judgment." Yue Chengxi’s eyes seemed to see through her, revealing her true motives beneath the surface.

"Are you challenging your superior, Elder Yue?" Gong Shen Ling’er’s expression darkened.

Even if it was deliberate, since Ji Wuqing and Zuo Qiu Liye both cared so deeply for that blind girl, why not expose it all? Let the world witness the spectacle of two kings fighting over one woman.

"Young master, your recklessness truly troubles me," Yue Chengxi said with a smile, cold yet warm like moonlight.

"This matter is mine to bear alone..."

"Report, young master! The messenger sent to deliver the letter was executed by order of King Ji, his body thrown atop the city walls..." Before Gong Shen Ling’er could finish, an urgent voice interrupted, "Now Ji’s morale has surged; they have launched an attack."

"How could this be... Did the letter reach King Ji?" How could this happen? Did he not care at all about Blood’s fate?

"Young master, the letter did reach him, but it had no effect. King Ji has already ordered the assault. With our current strength, we can hardly resist..."