Editor: Otwentyfirst

  Feeling indignant, she glared straight into Ji Feng Li’s dark, unfathomable eyes as chilling waves boiled within her. A moment later, she burst out laughing then tightly clenched her fist and abruptly aimed a punch at Ji Feng Li’s face. Though she wasn’t a man, she wasn’t anyone’s male pet either. Having heard that word so often, she felt exceedingly insulted.

  Ji Feng Li didn’t think that Hua Zhu Yu would suddenly make a move and his eyes flashed with coldness. He lightly turned his body and dodged her attack as he tightly grabbed onto her hand. Twisting her body to the side, she attacked with her other free hand, targeting his neck.

  He leaned backwards and eluded her attack. With a cold smile he asked, "What, you want to get rid of this Chancellor for Xiao Yin?" He suddenly raised his sleeve and the fan hidden within slipped out. He opened the fan and a burst of cold air was emitted as he charged at her.

  Hua Zhu Yu knew the fan was his weapon, but she didn’t know where he kept it hidden. She hadn’t seen him use it since that night at Lui Mo’s residence.

  She hadn’t expected him to suddenly take it out. She was irritated and had wanted to teach him a lesson, not take his life. However, Ji Feng Li thought otherwise. Though he didn’t intend to kill her, he wanted to subdue her and didn’t even care about revealing his martial skill to her.

  Hua Zhu Yu was caught off guard and she didn’t have a weapon in hand either. Seeing the fan approaching before her eyes she could only lean back to avoid the attack but though she could avoid the fan she couldn’t avoid his finger that attacked concurrently and sealed her pressure point.

  Hua Zhu Yu’s body immediately turned limp and fell. But fortunately behind her there was a sandalwood table to break her fall.

  "Lord Chancellor’s martial skills are this excellent, truly unexpected! Should I be feeling honored to have forced Lord Chancellor to reveal these skills? Aren’t you afraid I’ll leak this out?" Hua Zhu Yu asked with a cynical cold smile as she leaned against the table.

  Standing tall, he gazed down at her. With a ’pa’ he opened the fan, revealing the blooming epiphyllum painted on it.

  translations at peachblossomgrove . com

  "That’s of little importance, this Chancellor doesn’t really care. But do you know what I despise most? It’s treason!" His voice was exceedingly cold and sharp, piercing through her ears. "You’re clearly a person of Southern Kingdom yet sold yourself to Northern Kingdom and you’re even so deeply concerned about them. Say, how should this Chancellor deal with you?"

  "Treason?" Hua Zhu Yu laughed bitterly as a coldness congealed in her eyes. For Southern Kingdom, she went through fire and water and now she was someone despicable, guilty of treason?

  "I wonder how Lord Chancellor intends to punish me for treason? Death by a thousand cuts? Beheadment? Or is it death by an arrow?" She lowered her head and asked in a bitter voice.

  Within the tent, the candlelight suddenly flickered, and the place momentarily became obscured. The expression on Ji Feng Li’s face could not be clearly made out. Only his eyes, which were gleaming with callousness could be seen.

  "Rest a.s.sured, this Chancellor won’t kill you. After all, you did save this Chancellor’s life once. But don’t jump for joy. Tomorrow I will let you personally witness how I utterly defeat Xiao Yin," he coldly announced. No longer sparing her a glance, he blew out the candle.

  Perhaps he didn’t feel at ease letting the Imperial Guards watch over her so he left her there, remaining in his tent.

  Amid the darkness, Hua Zhu Yu leaned against the table. She could hear Ji Feng Li walking over to his bed, taking off his outer robe, and falling asleep. It was a little over a month since they had last shared a camp, each person provided with their own bed. Yet now she was a prisoner once again. Her body felt exceedingly tired the whole night and she could hardly move it. She could only curl up like a little beast that had fallen in a trap, waiting for the next misfortune to come.

  Early next morning the army set off once again and arrived at Su Zhou near dusk. The one guarding over Su Zhou was covered in bruises, looking as though he was about keel over, yet he still mustered the energy to come welcome Ji Feng Li and w.a.n.g Yu.

  The situation in Su Zhou was very precarious. If the army arrived an hour later perhaps the city of Su Zhou would’ve already fallen. The troops had no time to rest and immediately got involved, setting out to defend the city.

  Hua Zhu Yu still had her pressure point sealed and was escorted by a guard. They followed behind Ji Feng Li up to the city gate towers of Su Zhou. Looking down from the tower, she once again witnessed the devastating sight of war.

  The scene was truly chaotic in front of the city gates. Dead bodies, scattered limbs and broken swords littered the crimson soil, creating a feeling of utter desolation.

  Along the western horizons, the sun was setting, painting the whole sky a b.l.o.o.d.y red.

  Under the last glaring rays of sunlight, Northern Kingdom’s troops were attacking endlessly. Everyone’s eyes held a sharp, bloodthirsty gaze and the flashing of swords and armors reflected the frostiness in their hearts.

  In the back, amid the flutterings of the flags, blaring sound of the bugle horn and thunderous pounding drums, was a man who was surrounded by thousands of troops on both sides.

  It was Xiao Yin!

  He was no longer the crown prince of Northern Kingdom, but was the Northern Emperor, personally leading his troops into battle, Northern Emperor Xiao Yin.

  Riding on a towering military horse, he sat straight and erect. His dark purple robes flickered in the breeze as his hair fluttered wildly behind his shoulders. His gyrfalcon spiraled twice above him before slowly descending to perch on his shoulders and like it’s master, it was also a vision of ferocity.