Chapter 8

After that, I heard Marquis Xie had taken ten cities within a year.

There were even rumors that on the day he woke from his grave injuries, having narrowly escaped death, a five-colored omen had appeared in the sky.

Soon everyone was saying heaven favored him.

Perhaps he would become the new sovereign to end this age of turmoil.

He never attacked Wu Commandery.

Once, when Wu came under attack, Father asked for help. Xu Xingzhi and I led troops there, only to find Xie Ruo’an had already sent men.

The two armies faced each other across their lines.

Banners blotted out the sky, and weapons and armor gleamed in the sun.

A familiar adviser rode out from the head of the Xie forces.

After greeting Xu Xingzhi, he saluted me with clasped hands.

“His Highness sends his regards, my lady. His consort remembers your former kindness and hopes to meet you at the roadside pavilion ten li away.”

I lowered my eyes to the reins in my hands.

So Xie Ruo’an had already proclaimed himself king.

Of course.

Reborn and filled with ambition, he would not forgo that advantage.

As for Chu Ying…

I thought there was no need for us to meet again.

As it happened, Mother had sent some flower cakes she had made herself.

Chu Ying had eaten them before and seemed very fond of them.

I used them to decline.

“There are too many matters to attend to at home. I won’t be able to see her.”

“Please take her this box of cakes.”

That year, battles great and small raged everywhere.

With the Cui clan’s help, Xu Xingzhi wrested control of seven southern commanderies after a hard struggle.

The south at last found a measure of peace.

He even took advantage of the turmoil to push north and seize several places around Wu Commandery.

Farther north lay the Central Plains, most of which were now under Xie Ruo’an’s control.

Everything had moved much faster than in my previous life.

Another winter came.

As Xu Xingzhi intended to advance north, the Xu family spent that New Year in Wu Commandery.

On the third Day of the Dog after the winter solstice, Father and Xu Xingzhi held the year-end sacrificial rites.

With the country at war, the ceremonies were kept simple. The most important thing was to distribute festival money and meat to the common people.

That day, New Year gifts from Marquis Xie arrived from the Central Plains as well.

His generosity

left everyone speechless.

Father told me Marquis Xie had lately been sending gifts for every holiday.

As he spoke, he looked at me and asked hesitantly,

“He seems to be hinting that he still wants to marry you?”

I gave a cold laugh. “Ignore him.”

Father agreed.

“A man ensnared by love will never make a wise ruler.”

Mother, however, kept worrying about my future.

“An alliance it may be,” she said, “but since you have married him, why not truly give him a chance?”

We had been allies for several years.

Xu Xingzhi still kept no concubines. A few times late at night, I had even caught him…

We had faced life and death together so often. I was not made of wood or stone. I could see that he truly cared for me.

But we lived in an age of war, with a great battle looming.

Romantic love was the least important thing of all.