Chapter 25: A Fight to the Death

The Kang army’s horses, bred in their vast imperial lands, were noticeably sturdier and fleshier than those raised in the Great Qi. Not only did they possess superior endurance, but they were also swifter. As time slipped by, Guo Mingyu’s vanguard closed the distance, leaving Tian Yueying only a few dozen meters ahead.

Seeing the dire situation, the accompanying General Shi Ling turned his horse around and signaled his troops to halt. "Soldiers, hear my command! The Emperor is in grave danger. We must not let the Kang army overtake her. Today, even if we must die, we shall secure Her Majesty’s safety!"

With these words, over a thousand soldiers wheeled their mounts, ready to engage the Kang forces in a battle to the death. Yet, the Kang army once again displayed their disciplined training. Though Shi Ling and his men fought with the resolve of the damned, they were completely wiped out within a mere dozen minutes of clashing with the Kang ranks.

This rearguard action failed to delay Guo Mingyu in the slightest. Eager to capture the Empress alive, he ordered his subordinate officers to mop up Shi Ling’s remaining forces while he himself led his light cavalry in hot pursuit of the fleeing Tian Yueying.

At that moment, Tian Yueying’s heart hammered against her ribs. Hearing the drumming of hooves drawing ever closer, her spirits plummeted into an abyss of despair. Seeing the soldiers who had followed her on foot growing increasingly exhausted, her heart softened, and she reined in her horse. In her gloom, she began to address Yang Chuan in her thoughts.

"Chancellor Yang, it seems I am truly unfit to be a sovereign..."

"It is fortunate that I allowed you to manage the affairs of Great Qi before my end. If I am to die this day, take my place and become the new master of the Great Qi Empire!"

Having said this, she drew her sword with resolute eyes, preparing for a final stand against the Kang forces. Seeing that Tian Yueying no longer intended to flee and had fallen into a state of utter desperation, Guo Mingyu was overjoyed.

"Men, charge! Bring her to me alive! Before we return to Pingtian City to report, we shall all have a taste of this little lady!"

Spurred on by this "incentive," the Kang army’s momentum surged. Guo Mingyu, relying on his swifter steed, quickly reached Tian Yueying.

Her hand gripping the sword began to tremble slightly. Should she fight to the death, or end her own life to preserve her honor? Her vision blurred.

Could it be that her romance with Master Yang was destined to last a mere month?

Just as the situation reached a breaking point, a voice rang out: "Villain, dare not harm my master! Yang Chuan is here!"

Not far from the two armies, a general in white robes on a white horse was charging forward with a thousand light cavalry. The leader was none other than the newly appointed Grand Chancellor of Qi, Yang Chuan!

Sensing the shift in momentum, Guo Mingyu brandished his long halberd, intent on executing the Empress of Qi then and there. Yang Chuan, realizing that the Kang commander had been driven to desperation, immediately nocked an arrow and let it fly, striking Guo Mingyu’s right arm—the one wielding the halberd.

Howling in pain, Guo Mingyu tumbled from his horse. Tian Yueying, jolted back to her senses, looked at Yang Chuan with tear-filled, ecstatic eyes. "Master Yang!"

Only now did she truly understand what it meant to be saved by a divine warrior from the jaws of death. Under Yang Chuan’s leadership, the Qi army counter-attacked and annihilated the forces led by Guo Mingyu. Guo Mingyu himself was tightly bound, to be taken back to Hui City.

Perhaps exhausted by the strain of the past few days, coupled with the relentless pressure of the pursuit, Tian Yueying’s spirit collapsed. As Yang Chuan reached her side, her eyes closed, and she fell from her horse. Yang Chuan leaped from his own mount and caught her in his arms. Holding her close, he ordered his troops to turn back toward Hui City. By then, the generals guarding the northeastern gates had coordinated with Li Mo inside the city to successfully breach the gates and seize control of Hui City.

...

After jolting on horseback for several minutes, Tian Yueying slowly stirred from her faint. Upon opening her eyes, she caught sight of a handsome profile—her beloved, Yang Chuan, for whom she had harbored secret feelings for three years.

"Master... Master Yang, how did you know I would flee along this path?" she asked, her voice weak.

"Our hearts are linked. How could I, your subject, not know when Your Majesty is in danger?" Looking down at the dazed Tian Yueying, Yang Chuan felt a surge of masculine protective instinct.

It was true. Although he had spent ten years with Yan Wugou, it was not until he was dismissed from his post in the Great Kang Empire that he realized his affection for that woman was not even a fraction of what he felt for the little "maid" who had stayed by his side in his residence for three years.

In those early days, Tian Yueying had come to his household as a maid, and they had treated each other with mutual respect. But over those three years, she had attended to his every need with tireless devotion. It was precisely because of this that when Yang Chuan left Pingtian City, he had left behind all his worldly possessions, taking only his personal attendants with him.

Three years of living side-by-side had forged a deep, intuitive bond between them. Even while in the capital of Great Qi, Yang Chuan could sense the Empress’s every move through their spiritual connection. Just yesterday, before the court session, a sudden, sharp pain in his chest had moved him to delay no longer; he had ridden hard to intercept and rescue her.

Hearing what sounded like a lover’s confession, a blush rose to the Empress’s delicate face. Shyly, she buried her face in Yang Chuan’s chest. In this moment, she felt she no longer needed to pretend to be the iron-willed Empress of Qi. She was merely a woman in need of her lover’s tenderness.

...

Half an hour later, Yang Chuan met with the generals in Hui City. Upon discovering that Guo Mingyu had been captured, some soldiers cheered, but voices of doubt remained.

"Chancellor, this villain is a Great General of the Great Kang Empire. Though we have won today, perhaps we should let him go..."

"Let him go?"

Hearing the subordinate officer’s proposal, Yang Chuan’s eyes sharpened, and he turned to glare at him. Given the current situation, the Great Kang Empire was powerful; even if they had won one battle, letting the commander go might seem like a way to avoid further wrath.

But when he arrived to rescue Tian Yueying, he had heard every filthy word that came out of Guo Mingyu’s mouth! Even if he were the Prime Minister of Great Kang himself, anyone who dared to humiliate his woman would not be spared!

"Let there be no further discussion on this matter. My mind is made up. Escort Guo Mingyu to the capital immediately, where he shall await his judgment!"