Chapter 266 (1/2)

Chapter 266

Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

As the smell of roses silently dispersed into the air, Chu Qiao stood on the city walls, her gaze wandering between the columns of armor below. The flood of the ages swept past her ears, howling like a tornado that swept past through the skies.

As the pitch-black battle flag flew over Yan Xun's head, the darkness of the starless night enveloped all but the soldier's faces, illuminated by tens of thousands of lit torches. Standing in his black robe atop his golden carriage while holding onto his golden bow, Yan Xun gently lifted his head, staring silently at an all too familiar silhouette.

Silence engulfed the battlefield as everyone held their breath. The light rumbling of war drums felt as though the earth were pulsating, inciting the soldier's fighting spirit. For a moment, time seemed to stand still, as warriors of both sides stared into each other's eyes. In the next moment, the two formations started storming towards each other for the fight of their lives. In an instant, a torrent of arrows was unleashed by the charging cavalry, showering onto the soldiers, as countless men charged onto the battlefield. The monster of war began unleashing its brutal, bone-chilling savagery.

Clouds covered the moon, it was as though even heaven did not wish to see the gore of war as the battle unfolded into chaos, with the sounds of men screaming and groaning, and horses charging engulfing the battlefield.

It was after an entire day and night fighting when the Xiuli Army used the downtime of Yan Bei Army adjusting their formation to suddenly open the east city gate and storm out on horseback down a narrow path that led to the riverbanks of Tiexian River. This made it impossible for large armies to charge, and as such, the Yan Bei Army pursued them on horseback. Yet as they arrived on the river banks, all they saw was the Xiuli Army using their sheepskin rafts to travel downstream in the strongest of river currents.

”Watch out Master!”

”Be careful Your Highness!”

Almost simultaneously, both Chu Qiao and Yan Xun picked up and released their arrows. They collided in the air with a ding, drawing the cheers of the surrounding soldiers. On the canal, standing atop her raft, Chu Qiao looked at Yan Xun from afar. She was all too aware that this battle was for theatrical purposes as there was no chance Yan Xun would stop her.

Being allies with Lady of Jingan meant that Yan Xun had to defend Hanshui for her. Yet the moment she would conquer Tang Jing was also the time she would lead King Jing An's successor onto the throne. Then, Yan Bei's fate would be in the hands of others. Hence, this was a battle that he shouldn't win, yet one that he could not give up too easily. He still needed Chu Qiao to drag on the civil conflict within Tang to reserve for himself the path through Tanghu Pass.

As rows upon rows of lit torches lit up the river, the pre-dawn darkness lurked on the river along with the wind, only further highlighting the red glow of fire reflected on the water surface.

Yan Xun continued to ride his horse while it dug into the ground repeatedly with its hooves in discomfort. As he rode, he stared at that figure that rapidly disappeared into the vast open river, while the wind ruffled the hair of the horse.

That moment, a crevasse opened in the icy memories of Yan Xun, taking him to a time that he could barely remember, just enough that the faint sounds and sights were beginning to appear just before him. Yet, he could not recall how long ago those memories were from. It was also then that he silently stared into the vast open river in the darkness after the massacre that night. As the fires in Zhen Huang City burned, and endless sounds of killing spread across the plains, their younger selves decided to go down their own individual paths, to do what they felt was right.

Perhaps fate had been set in stone a long time ago. As meteors streaking in opposite directions, their brief encounters would eventually end as both sides set their own paths away from each other.

Standing on the river banks welding her sword, Chu Qiao watched as the last of her troops crossed Hanshui. The wide river splitting east and west seemed to carry with it millions of lives and souls. She looked into the distance, beyond the settling dust and across the fields towards Yan Xun, where a 100,000 armored troops around him seemed to just disappear. Left proudly standing was a man in his dark robe, his eyes as if he had just come out from hell, able to destroy anything in his path alone.

”Ma'am!” Pingan ran up. With his eyes red, he lifted his head and said, ”We lost over 6,000 of our men fighting this battle.”

Chu Qiao looked down, only see blood that had yet to dry on his face, the bloodshed he had just witnessed destroying any form of innocence from his time growing up during peacetime.

”Pingan, everything comes at a price,” the Xiuli Army general on horseback replied. She looked at the rows of lit torches for what seemed to be an eternity before softly continuing, ”True peace is always attained through war.”

Pingan looked up puzzled, muttering, ”True peace?”

”Yes. I won't live to see it, you may not either. But someday, someone will.” Chu Qiao looked up towards the river bank closer to Hanshui where the raging fires had died out, their billowing smoke seemingly containing tints of gold. In his ink black armor, a man appeared to wander in the night wind. Though the details looked fuzzy, Chu Qiao could very well see his expression and silhouette. Just as he did many years ago, he shot out an arrow from his horseback. With that, he saved her life, and then she accompanied him for a decade.