Repeatedly broken branches

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Yu Yanjing woke Xiao Mu up for breakfast. After breakfast, they would continue their journey by boat. It was extremely cold and foggy that day, so Yu Yanjing gave her a cotton cloak to wear, making her look like a round little dumpling.

The boatman was waiting at the dock early in the morning. When he saw the two of them coming, he greeted them with a smile, "Did you two sleep well? How was Songcheng? Was it fun?"

Yu Yanjing said calmly, "It's quite fun. I went to bed late last night, and my wife hasn't slept well yet. I hope you'll be careful while rowing..."

Xiao Mu blushed and quickly scurried into the cabin. This Yu Yanjing has no shame; who is his wife now?

However, calling her "wife" has reduced the opinions of many families. It's acceptable for a husband and wife to travel together. But if they were unmarried and stayed at the same inn, how would the woman be able to face people?

Yu Yanjing also sat down, looking at her blankly and asking, "Why is your face so red? Are you cold? Quickly hold the hot water bottle to warm up!" He placed the hot water bottle filled with hot water in Xiao Mu's arms and put her hands on it, which indeed warmed them up a lot.

Xiao Mu's eyes blazed with anger. "Who's your wife?!" She grabbed Yu Yanjing's sleeve and said indignantly, "Don't talk nonsense in front of others!"

Yu Yanjing said with ease, "Alright, alright, from now on, I'll say that you are the wife of my enemy, and we'll travel together to find him. Does that sound good?"

"Fine, fine, say whatever you want."

"Madam" sounds better, Madam, Madam...

Muchui Town.

"General, it's snowing. What should we do? It will be even harder to cross Muchui Town after the snowfall." Zhou Tingxi's subordinate, Wei Hao, looked at him with a worried expression.

Zhou Tingxi sat in front of the camp, slowly nodding as he watched the snowflakes fall from the sky, landing one by one on his armor, then melting and disappearing.

It's snowing. Xiaozhi loves snow the most. When she was little, she would always run to the snow and make footprints. Now that it's snowing, the plum blossoms in the palace must be blooming. If he were here, he would pick a few branches for her and put them in a white porcelain vase in her room. They would chat and drink tea around the stove, and eat baked buns. This was a delicacy that Xia Yunzhi invented herself. Her nanny forced her to eat another bun, so she put it on the stove and accidentally discovered that it smelled incredibly good. The baked buns were even more delicious...

Zhou Tingxi's lips curled up into a bitter smile.

The Lunar New Year is almost here, Mom and Xiaozhi must be preparing for it, right?

I wonder if it will snow heavily this year. If it does, she'll probably pester the palace maids to build her a snowman again.

Perhaps he will never see such a scene again.

He had been trapped here for several days. If it snowed again, blocking the exit and preventing supplies from getting in, they would starve to death here. The southern border was so close to them, yet they couldn't cross it.

He thought that Yin Fu'an wouldn't suspect him because of his relationship with Yin Fu'an, but Yin Fu'an still sent him to reclaim the southern border. How ridiculous, their childhood friendship couldn't withstand the provocation of others.

"General, the snow has stopped!" Wei Hao said excitedly.

Zhou Tingxi reached out and caught the last snowflake, which melted in his palm and turned into a puddle of water.

"Raise troops!"

Zhou Tingxi drew his sword, mounted his horse, his expression meticulous, his gaze sharp as he looked at the opposite side. He raised his sword and gave the order, and the soldiers behind him drew their swords and rushed forward.

The sky was overcast with dark clouds after the snowfall, as if it were about to rain. But they had nowhere to retreat. From the moment they set out, there was no way back. They were soldiers who had fought on the battlefield. In their hearts was a soul that could not be destroyed. It was a heroic soul carrying faith!

Even Zhou Tingxi, who had won countless battles, was not confident that he could return alive and see her one more time. That would be enough. Because of her words, he had picked up his sword to protect his country, and that was ingrained in his bones.

Looking at the arrows flying wildly in the air, he drew his sword and deflected them all back. He was extremely fast, even faster than the arrows themselves.

Accompanied by the shouts of the soldiers, arrows flew past their ears, and only the sound of swords clashing together could be heard. Along with screams, everything in their eyes was red. The battlefield was filled with a terrifying red. Zhou Tingxi fought his way out, but only a small team remained. This was a part of the men he led. Several teams had been lost in the past few days. Thirty thousand men had been wiped out, and now there were less than a thousand left. Although the enemy had also suffered heavy losses, their weapons were tricky, some of which they had never seen before. They were exhausted. Yin Fu'an had already said that no more reinforcements would be sent to them, and the rest were to stay in Jiuguang to protect their lord.

In other words, they either died together or died in battle.

Wei Hao, holding a shield, escorted Zhou Tingxi out, followed closely by the remnants of Jiu Guang's army.

Zhou Tingxi took one last look at the battlefield strewn with corpses. Jiuguang's flag was teetering on the verge of collapse, tattered and stained with blood.

Those were all soldiers he had personally trained.

"General, let's withdraw our troops. Those barbarians are far too powerful!" Wei Hao said worriedly.

Zhen Xun, the deputy cavalry battalion commander standing to the side, spoke up first, "Yes, we only have 950 men left now, while the enemy has nearly 2,000 men. They outnumber us by more than two times! General, should we ask for reinforcements? Otherwise, we're really going to be wiped out."

Zhou Tingxi's tone was cold: "His Majesty has made it very clear that the remaining soldiers must stay in Jiuguang to protect the emperor."

Wei Hao had followed Zhou Tingxi for many years and knew Zhou Tingxi's personality very well. He would never make any decisions on his own without Zhou Tingxi's permission.

Wei Hao muttered, "Does the Emperor want us all to die without leaving a single piece of armor? He says he wants us to reclaim the southern border, but in reality, he wants to suppress your power. Who told you to still hold two-thirds of the military power and the military tally of the Snow Region Kingdom? He can't really trust you. General, we might as well take the military tally of the Snow Region Kingdom and establish ourselves as the ruler!"

A fierce glint flashed in Zhou Tingxi's eyes as he glared at Wei Hao and scolded, "What are you saying? Aren't our lives lives too? Aren't the lives of the other 950 soldiers lives too? If we fail, have you thought about what will happen to them? What will happen to their families? Don't ever mention this kind of thing in front of me again!"

Zhen Xun glanced at Wei Hao, his brows furrowed, and said, "Lord Wei, shall we go down and let the general have some peace and quiet, please?"

Wei Hao hesitated, then left Zhou Tingxi's tent with Zhen Xun.

He wasn't trying to rebel; he just felt sorry for Zhou Tingxi. Zhou Tingxi had sacrificed everything, while Yin Fu'an reaped all the benefits. Not to mention Wei Hao, even two-thirds of Zhou Tingxi's soldiers in Jiuguang were not willing to submit to Yin Fu'an. If it weren't for Zhou Tingxi, they probably wouldn't have obeyed Yin Fu'an either.

Zhou Tingxi took out the two little rabbit sachets from under the osmanthus tree from his pocket and stroked them carefully. The scene of Xia Yunzhi giving him this sachet was still vivid in his mind. He had become a great hero, but he had lost his fairy forever. What good was a great hero if he couldn't even win back his little fairy? When did he become so sentimental?

He started having sleepless nights. He often thought that if he weren't a hero, but just her Zhou Tingxi, they would have lived happily ever after, at least they would never have had any barriers between them.

Yandu.

After three days of sailing, they finally arrived in Yandu. Xiao Mu was finally able to go ashore and breathe fresh air. She was so bored. She couldn't be free on the ship and couldn't sleep well. Moreover, the wind was howling at night and it was very cold. She and Yu Yanjing could only huddle together to keep warm.

Yandu had a heavy snowfall last night, and the snow and ice are melting now. It's freezing cold, so the two of them put on otter fur cloaks.

Now we can only walk to Muchui Town, and we can't rent a horse-drawn carriage anymore. As the end of the year approaches, all the caravans, whether they are for passengers or goods, have stopped operating. In addition, the roads are difficult to travel in the snow, so it is impossible to rent a horse-drawn carriage.

It's so cold! The wind feels like a knife scraping my face, bringing a chilling pain. Even wrapped tightly in my cloak, I can't keep out the cold wind.

Yu Yanjing grew up in Chaoyang Kingdom, where the weather had never been so cold. His face was pale from the cold, the tip of his nose was red, and the knuckles of his fingers were also bright red.

"Why don't you find an inn here and wait for me? I'll come and meet you after I've gone to find Zhou Tingxi," Xiao Mu said softly, looking at Yu Yanjing who was shivering from the cold.

Yu Yanjing paused for a moment and said, "What are you thinking? How could I let you go to find him alone? What am I supposed to do if you encounter any danger on the way? Don't even think about it!" After saying that, he sneezed.

Xiao Mu laughed out loud, "Alright, alright, let's rest for a while, eat something, and then continue on our way. Hopefully, we can reach Mu Chui Town tomorrow, otherwise, if it snows heavily, we won't be able to leave."

They found a meat soup stall and ordered two bowls of beef soup and a few sesame flatbreads.

With the Lunar New Year approaching, these are the only stalls still open for business. However, they are extremely good; the hot soup can warm you up for a while.

Xiao Mu quickly drank a few mouthfuls of the hot beef soup. The moment it went down her throat, her whole body felt warm. She then soaked the pastry in the beef soup until it softened before eating it. It was really chewy and delicious.

After a simple meal, Yu Yanjing bought a few strips of dried beef and a flask of strong liquor to take with them. They continued on their way, as there were few people on the road ahead and they might not be able to find an inn. They could just roast the dried beef and eat it, and the strong liquor could warm them up. They could also take a sip when they were cold to warm themselves up.

The further they went, the more remote it became, and the houses gradually became sparse. Sometimes they would walk for miles without seeing a single house, or even for more than ten miles, there would only be one house. This place was close to the southern border, so it was freezing cold in the cold and unbearably hot in the summer. The people here relied on raising cattle and sheep for a living. In the winter, after selling the cattle and sheep, they could only hunt and rely on the vegetables and fruits they had stored to get through the winter.

Winter days are short and it gets dark early. After walking for a short while, Yu Yanjing suggested that they rest in a forest, where they would not encounter avalanches because it was flat ground.

Yu Yanjing gathered a lot of dry firewood and started a fire with a flint. Soon, a roaring fire appeared in front of them. Xiao Mu quickly squatted down and stretched out her fingers, which were already red and swollen from the cold, to warm them in front of the fire.

After thinking for a long time, Yu Yanjing looked at Xiao Mu squatting on the ground and said, "I'll go find some more firewood and straw, and then go to the flat ground outside to find some usable things! You wait for me here!" He took off his cloak, spread it on the ground, and let Xiao Mu sit there and eat some beef jerky first.

Xiao Mu pouted and said, "Aren't you cold? You gave me your cloak, so you'll freeze to death outside!"

Yu Yanjing smiled and said, "It's alright, I'll be back in a bit. Keep this for self-defense, so you won't be scared if any wild animals come!" Yu Yanjing took off the Silver Snake Dance and placed it in Xiao Mu's arms.

Xiao Mu hugged the sword tightly and said worriedly, "Then come back quickly, I'll wait for you to eat beef jerky together, I'll start grilling it now!"

"Okay." Yu Yanjing smiled.

Xiao Mu sat there obediently, roasting beef jerky.

The beef jerky had been roasting for quite a while, but Yu Yanjing still hadn't returned. Xiao Mu was filled with anxiety. She stood up and sat down again, trying to suppress her racing thoughts. She comforted herself, thinking that maybe the forest was very large and Yu Yanjing hadn't left yet. If he went out and found the thing, he would come back. What if she wandered off and Yu Yanjing couldn't find her when he returned?

However, her unease grew stronger and stronger. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed in a knot, and the pain was unbearable. Strange, how could this be? She clutched her chest in pain. It was the same last time. She didn't know what had happened. She was panicking and in a lot of pain!

A loud bang occurred not far away, like the sound of something collapsing!

Xiao Mu collapsed to the ground. Could that sound be...?

She frantically grabbed the Silver Snake Dance and ran towards the direction from which the sound came from.

No, it can't be. He's the emperor, the supreme ruler. He wouldn't have an accident so easily. It couldn't be him.

She carried an oil lamp.

The sight before her made Xiao Mu tremble. These were signs of an avalanche, which had submerged the valley and obscured the entire mountain. The land was covered in white, leaving behind a deathly stillness.

The vast expanse of white made her feel dizzy. Tears streamed down her face, disappearing into the snow. Her eyes were empty and lifeless as she searched for him in the snow, calling out his name.

She shouted until she was hoarse, as if her throat was about to break, but instead of a response, she received only an echo that reverberated through the valley.

Yu Yanjing! Where are you?!

With each shout, her throat burned with pain, accompanied by the metallic taste of blood. She screamed until her throat was raw, but Yu Yanjing still did not appear.

She had no strength left. Finally, her legs gave way and she knelt on the ground, desperately digging at the snow with her bare hands. Her ten fingers were numb, but she still wouldn't stop. Faster, faster, Yu Yanjing was waiting for her.

The sun is coming out.

She dug all night long, her hair disheveled, and sweat soaking every part of her body.

Until all ten fingers were covered in blood, a bloody mess, the blood staining the snow on the ground, shining a blinding red in the sun.

The sun has risen, and a night has passed. Where is Yu Yanjing?

Perhaps he wasn't buried by the avalanche, but went back to find himself?

Yes! It must be.

She dragged her weary body back to the forest where they had been the night before, only to find a smoldering fire and Yu Yanjing's cloak left there.

Her eyes were vacant, her heart felt like it was riddled with holes, and two streams of hot tears rolled down her already cold and numb cheeks. She wanted to shout, but the pain in her throat prevented her from making a sound.

Yu Yanjing, where are you?

She desperately clung to the silver snake, utterly exhausted and powerless. Her eyes were wide open when suddenly her body went limp, all sounds became blurred, and her vision involuntarily darkened and she felt dizzy. She tried to open her eyes, but no matter what she did, she couldn't muster the strength. Finally, like a butterfly struck by an arrow, she fell to the ground.

"Xiao Mu, wake up... You can't sleep, you still have tasks to complete, you still need to find Zhou Tingxi to get things cleared up, and you still need to find Yu Yanjing..."

Yes, she couldn't sleep. She hadn't found Yu Yanjing yet, and she hadn't personally asked Zhou Tingxi about the truth of the matter. How could she sleep?

But her throat was so dry and so painful, and her whole body was burning hot, so hot that her consciousness gradually became blurred.

She seemed to see Yu Yanjing, drawing his sword and pointing it at her. His eyes were bloodshot, and a terrifying smile appeared on his lips. He said, "Be with me forever. As long as you die, we can be together forever!"

Yu Yanjing thrust his sword at her, but Zhou Tingxi blocked the sword with her own body. She watched helplessly as Zhou Tingxi's body was pierced by his sword, splattering her face with blood.

The scene shifts, and Zhou Tingxi is holding her. She is wearing a bright red wedding dress, as is Zhou Tingxi. They enter a room decorated with the Chinese character for "double happiness." Zhou Tingxi says to her with eyes full of love, "You are finally mine. We will never be apart again." But suddenly, Zhou Tingxi's expression changes, and he says to her with icy eyes, "I don't love you. I don't love you at all. Give up. I have never had any feelings for you. If you weren't Princess Heyang, I could never be with you!"

Pain, excruciating pain...

Her consciousness became increasingly out of control, and memories that were not her own began to surface in her mind.

Ruan Cifeng jumped off the cliff, and until the very last moment before he hit the ground, he was still tightly clutching something in his hand. Xiao Mu tried to see it clearly, but the harder she tried, the blurrier it became.

Then came an overwhelming pain; her head felt like it was going to split open.