Chapter 106

  "Rootless, homeless, without a country or kin." A low voice suddenly rang out, Qi An jumped down from the horseback and walked step by step towards the white-robed woman kneeling in the center of the four armies. His voice was cold as he said: "Then, is it also heartless, unrighteous, without a conscience?"

  A strong wind swept across the land, Qing Xia looked up with her head tilted back, watching Qi An's figure gradually approaching in the distance. In the vast snow, his outline was blurred and indistinct, but the bright yellow fur coat under the dazzling golden sunlight had a dazzling brilliance.

  Qian's face was cold and stern, his mouth tightly pursed, and no emotion could be seen on it. He walked step by step to Qing Xia's front, and suddenly stretched out his hand to touch her face.

  "With a swish, a cold light suddenly struck, the gun rose like snow, and the brilliant light was like lightning, the bullet shot up like thunder, and suddenly stabbed towards Qi An's throat!"

  In the blink of an eye, Qi An's face turned cold, his eyes narrowed, and he swiftly dodged to the side. His treasured sword flashed out of its scabbard, striking back at the silver spear with a swift motion reminiscent of a silver snake.

  A loud, crisp sound suddenly echoed throughout the arena. Chu Li's tall and majestic figure, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, wore a suit of armor that seemed to be carved from ice, making him look even more extraordinary and radiant like a celestial being. Qi An's expression turned cold, as old and new grievances surged up in his heart. He let out a cold snort, raised his sword, and charged forward. The two men were about to clash, with Qing Xia standing between them, when suddenly someone stretched out a hand from behind, each thinking of pulling Qing Xia's sleeve, but seeing the other had the same intention, they simultaneously reached out to stop each other. Silver spears and soft swords clashed in an instant, sparks flying as they exchanged blows, their movements swift and intense like a dense downpour.

  At this moment, Qin Zhiyan, who was originally standing quietly by the side, suddenly let out a cold hum, drew out the war knife of a guard beside him, and threw it horizontally into the arena. His weak body instantly burst out with tremendous force, his figure fluttering, and at an unbelievable speed, he rushed into the arena, two crisp sounds ringing out as he clashed with Chu Li's silver spear and Qi An's soft sword.

  Enemies meet face to face, and their eyes turn red with rage!

  Compared to Zihan, Chuli's hatred for Qin Ye at this moment was even more intense. Suddenly, he let out a loud shout and swung his spear sideways, slashing down towards Qin Ye's war knife.

  Qing Xia let out a startled cry, and this anxious shout was like adding fuel to the fire. Chu Li and Qi An immediately joined forces, launching a fierce attack on Qin Zhiyan together. Qin Zhiyan's body was weak and sickly, but his skills were exceptional. However, the situation was unfavorable for him, and he had to constantly worry about Qing Xia in the midst of battle, which made him hesitant and unable to fully utilize his abilities, causing him to fall into a disadvantageous position.

  "Qin's Flame!" Qing Xia's eyebrows rose, and she stood up. The four of them were already close, and with this movement, their weapons suddenly became unmanageable. Chu Li frowned, her eyes blazing with anger, but she quickly dodged to the side. Qin's Flame also leapt back. However, Dong Qi's Crown Prince Qi An, for some reason, flashed a cold light in his eyes, and his soft sword suddenly stabbed towards Qing Xia.

  "Yima!" "Qingxia!"

  Two cries of surprise rang out at the same time, Chu Li and Qin Zhiyan simultaneously shouted loudly, two agile figures quickly rushed towards Qing Xia's body, but how could they be faster than Qi An who was already close to Qing Xia?

  Just as Qing Xia was about to be injured by Qi An, the pale and slender woman suddenly sprang up like a leopard, unleashing an eighteen-style diving kick in a flurry of Muay Thai moves. One foot viciously kicked Qi An's left leg, spinning her around in mid-air before landing in a half-crouch on the ground, where she gazed warily at the Eastern Qi Crown Prince she had once rescued.

  Just now that blow, if it were an ordinary person, would undoubtedly be fatal, let alone Zhuang Qingxia who should have a weak body.

  Almost at the same time, Chu Li and Qin Zhiyan rushed to Qing Xia's back, Qin Zhiyan's face was gloomy, his eyes revealed a killing intent for the first time, he raised his palm, the soldiers of the Daqin Yan camp behind him took a step forward in unison, drew out their blades, shouted loudly, and put on their armor, the iron-blooded soldiers were cold, the sound was like an explosion, echoing in the flat ground, like a thunderclap.

  Chu Li's long spear flashed with a cold gleam, and before he could make any move, Xu Quan, Le Song and others behind him led the Black Guard and other soldiers of the Imperial Army to charge forward, forming a crescent shape around Qin Jun, protecting Qing Xia and the three people behind them. Chu Li's eyes were icy and sharp, staring fiercely at Qi An, his arch-nemesis, his gaze almost tearing flesh from bone!

  Seeing the crown prince in trouble, the Eastern Qi soldiers suddenly let out a loud shout, and in an instant, they surrounded him with overwhelming momentum. Standing behind Qi An, the cold iron armor and weapons flashed with a chilly light, pointing directly at the Qin Chu army, and not a single person on their faces showed any fear.

  Just because of a single movement by Qing Xia, the soldiers of the three kingdoms suddenly drew their swords and bows, the atmosphere was like a taut bowstring, ready to clash at any moment.

  In the air, a solemn and cold silence!

  "Haha, how interesting!" A loud and untimely burst of laughter suddenly echoed, as Yan Hui stood outside the battlefield, seemingly oblivious to the situation. He laughed loudly and said: "What a great hunt by four countries! The shadow of White Deer Fortress hasn't even appeared yet, but you three are already eager to take the first shot. People only say that I, Yan Hui, am a carefree and romantic wanderer, picking flowers and tasting honey, but they don't know that the three of you are also fond of flowers. An Taizi, in this grand and public setting, aren't you being a bit too rash and impatient?"

  He said, and then walked into the army formation as if he was blind, slowly coming to Qing Xia's side, who was fully armed. He said while walking: "Stealing jade and stealing fragrance also has three grades of upper, middle and lower. In my humble opinion, using force to coerce is the lowest grade, being tempted by benefits is the middle grade, and only when one is moved by true feelings and subdued by elegance can it be considered the highest grade. Several of you are doing this in broad daylight, forcibly snatching civilians, fighting, not only losing your dignity but also disrespecting women, what do you think this young lady is? It's really the most inferior strategy, and it doesn't match your status at all. I remember when I was with Dong Qi Xuan Hua's family master that year, for the sake of the dancer Mei Er who seemed like a heavenly immortal, I sneaked into the Xuan Hua mansion alone, disguised as a woman, pretending to be a maid for two months, and only then could Mei Er willingly follow me back to Xichuan. You three should learn from me."

  Only to see Yan Hui walking up to Qing Xia's side, still with a very kind heart, putting on what he thought was his most charming smile, wanting to help Qing Xia get up. As soon as the thick fragrance approached, Qing Xia frowned fiercely, looked at him with disgust, and slowly got up by herself.

  Qing Xia got up by himself, Yan Hui didn't feel embarrassed at all, but instead smiled and withdrew his hand. Everyone saw him proudly bring up the past, even Xichuan's soldiers couldn't help but frown tightly.

  Yan Hui's reputation for being reckless and promiscuous was well-known to all, but among the many outrageous things he had done in his life, the most notable was when he snuck into the mansion of the prominent family, Xuan Hua, two years ago, disguised as a female servant. He managed to seduce not only one of the family's dancers but also took two of Xuan Hua's concubines back to Western Chu with him. It wasn't until they arrived in Western Chu that it was discovered that one of the concubines was already three months pregnant. Yan Hui was severely reprimanded by the Emperor of Western Chu and had his salary withheld for three years as punishment. This incident had long been known throughout the land, and the people of Western Chu were deeply ashamed of it. Yet, here he was, speaking in front of the rulers of the other three countries as if it was something to be proud of. The soldiers of Western Chu's hearts sank, their faces turned bright red with shame, and they couldn't help but feel a sense of regret for their commander.

  "An Taizi, this is not right." Yan Hui stood in the middle of the field with a serious and solemn expression, not even looking at the cold and stern long spears and knives surrounding him. His battle robe was extremely creative in design, with silver armor flowing like a rainbow, yet it had wide sleeves and resembled ancient Chu clothing. The deep-colored clothes had green silk tassels, intricate flowers embroidered on the inside, and an eye-catching sheen that seemed to be from another world. However, for the sake of appearances, layers of silver armor plates were hung on the outside, making the entire outfit seem mismatched and chaotic. The fragrance emanating from it was pungent and overwhelming, neither resembling a battle robe nor a luxurious garment. Worn on Yan Hui's body, it seemed just like him - somewhat disorganized and unconventional in appearance.

  It is said that this set of clothes was made by him to deal with the Western Emperor. According to his words, he gave face to the royal family and also fulfilled his own hobby. Only then did he smile and pull out a feather fan from his sleeve, his fox-like eyes twinkling as he said: "The Crown Prince has always had a heroic reputation, and his high moral character is known throughout the world. Although it's true that he had some dealings with the Southern Chu Emperor's consort, this is also human nature, and I understand this point very well. Although now this Southern Chu consort is not clean with Qin San Gongzi, this also shows how sharp the Crown Prince's eyes are. In the world, there is only one extreme beauty who has been seen by him, and it is really admirable. Even if this Southern Chu consort escaped from Southern Chu and fell in love with Qin San Gongzi, abandoning the Crown Prince like a weed, but you see that the Southern Chu Emperor has not taken the initiative to attack first. Why do you need to stir up trouble? In the end, you are just childhood sweethearts, even if you once made vows on the mountain and by the sea, this ambiguous past is also a thing of the past. It's better to let go."

  His words were a jumbled mess, confusing and chaotic, and the relationships between several people became muddled. Yet every sentence was designed to drive a wedge between them, making Qing Xia sound like a promiscuous woman, lowly and despicable. Before Qing Xia could react, Chu Li's face turned bright red, Qin Zhiyan's complexion turned pale, his phoenix eyes narrowed into slits as he gazed coldly at Yan Hui, even Qi An furrowed her brow in annoyance, glaring at the meddling Yan Hui.

  But Yan Hui seemed to have lost his senses, still shouting: "A great man has no worries about not having a wife, why must he hurry to kill them all? An Taizi is wearing a pair of gloves made by the secret craftsmen of Nanjiang, with strong poison applied on them, which can kill upon contact. If he really touched Chu Huangfei's beautiful face, wouldn't it be a pity if she became a skeleton? A gentleman is open and honest, while a petty man is always worried. The king of Chu ordered his men to detour around the Qin army's camp, could it be that they want to learn from the White Deer Fortress and launch a surprise attack on the Qin army's grain supplies, and snatch back their women? And as for you, Qin San, you sent people to secretly replace the grain carts at night, filling them with sulfur and saltpeter. Are you planning to use fire to attack those who launch a surprise attack? In my opinion, none of you need to fight anymore. Why don't you all come to my mansion together? My household is full of beautiful women, you can choose whoever you like, except for my 16th concubine, the rest are all yours."

  As soon as the words fell, the faces of the three people changed at the same time. It was rumored that the Sichuan Swallow Cave had a thorough investigation with no holes left unexplored, but it was unexpected that the intelligence work would be done to such an extent, indeed not simple.

  Qin's eyes turned cold as he glanced at Qi An, his voice low and even: "So the last time Prince An went to Nanjiang was to find a master of poison, I see. Today's gift will be returned in full." With that, he took a step towards Qing Xia.

  A long spear suddenly appeared in front of Qin Zhiyan, and Chu Li coldly turned his head to say: "I was just pretending to attack the Great Qin's rear camp. The third prince is indeed clever and resourceful, able to make defensive preparations in an instant. Unfortunately, it wasted the prince's good plan."

  Qin's flames smiled faintly and said in a cold voice, "This and that, the so-called saltpeter, is just a cover-up to deceive people. Now the grain and grass of the Great Qin are still safely stored in the rear, those who dare can go and try. It's just that General Yan's intelligence report was not detailed enough, I don't know if it's because Yanzi Cave's skills are low or if General Yan intentionally provoked us to fight among ourselves."

  Yan Hui's eyes narrowed slightly, and a glint of cunning flashed in his fox-like eyes as he laughed: "Of course, Yanzi Cave is too lowly to intentionally stir up trouble. This time, the hunting event hosted by Xichuan, I'm just being cautious, fearing that everyone might get impulsive and not follow the rules stated in the letter, and start fighting, which wouldn't be good. You several military leaders are experienced and wise, always being careful and meticulous, truly admirable."

  Three people were engaged in a war of words, but Qi An still stood aside, staring coldly at Qing Xia. His eyes didn't blink for an instant before he suddenly opened his mouth and asked: "Who are you?"

  The long wind suddenly rolled up, the howling sound was like a pack of wolves in the northwest, Qing Xia stood in the middle of the field, beside him was Xi Chuan Yan Hui, who smiled and feared that the world would not be chaotic. Upon hearing this, he suddenly raised his head and looked at the Crown Prince of Dong Qi in shock.

  Only to see Qi An suddenly pulled off the gloves made of special fabric from his hands, threw them on the ground, and said in a deep voice: "I've been with Qing Xia for ten years, no one will understand her better than me. You tell me, who are you?"

  Yan's mouth curved into a smile, with an air of being well aware of everything, but it was unclear whether she really understood or was just pretending. Zhuang Dianru furrowed her brow tightly, yet still didn't show any signs of panic, clearly also having some awareness. Qin Zhiyan's eyebrows were slightly furrowed, but not very noticeably so; his gaze wasn't directed at Qing Xia, only slightly turning his head to coldly stare at Qi An, with a sharp glint in his eyes and an air of caution.

  Only Chu Li's eyebrows were tightly locked, and the bottom of his eyes seemed to have a stormy appearance. He suddenly turned his head around, staring closely at Qing Xia's face, with his two eyebrows almost furrowed together.

  "Qing Xia was born into a family of great scholars, with elegant writing and quick thinking. However, she had never liked reading history books, saying they were bloody and violent, and that military strategy was also a bad omen. But starting from the 17th day of the 11th month of the year Bing Shen, you spent an entire month reading history books and military strategies, and even went around asking about unofficial histories and biographies. This is the first point.

  Qing Xia believed in Buddhism, had been a vegetarian for many years, and would recite scriptures every day at noon. But starting from the 17th day of the 11th month of the year Bing Shen, you stopped being a vegetarian and stopped reciting scriptures. This is the second point.

  Qing Xia was weak by nature, loved literature and art, and had never practiced martial arts before. However, you were agile and quick-witted, able to fight off over ten soldiers single-handedly, with exceptional stealth and ambush abilities, and rich combat experience. This is the third point.

  Qing Xia was extremely filial, even if she didn't want to, she would still listen to her father's orders and marry into the Chu palace. However, starting from the year Bing Shen, you repeatedly escaped from the Chu palace. Moreover, Qing Xia valued etiquette and propriety, although she was weak by nature, she would never betray these values. Otherwise, she would have left the Chu palace with me long ago, and it's impossible for her to escape and be with other men. This is the fourth point."

  Qian walked slowly forward, his face cold and his eyes sharp, with a huge despair and pain, saying in a low voice: "Except for one face, you and Qing Xia are two completely different people. Others all say that Qing Xia is undercover in Nan Chu under my instruction, there must be some hidden superior place. But I know that in the past ten years, we have been reading poetry and painting, how can we have time to study martial arts and killing skills? You can deceive others, but how can you deceive me? Tell me, what kind of person are you? Where is the real Qing Xia now?"

  It was like a thunderclap on a clear day, suddenly exploding among the crowd. Chu Li's face suddenly turned iron-green, and he turned his head to look at Qing Xia with complex eyes, silent and speechless.

  Qing Xia was taken aback, unsure why, a wave of panic suddenly rose to her heart, an unprecedented fear that seemed to engulf her like a tide. Her gaze shifted, and she saw Chu Li's dark eyes, as dense as a deep night, and her heart trembled slightly.

  "What's your origin? Where did Qing Xia go, did you kill her?" Qi An asked in a cold and stern tone.

  "I didn't!" Qing Xia's eyebrows rose as she hastily said.

  "Or are you?" Chu Li's voice suddenly dropped low and hollow, like a ghostly whisper from the depths of hell. "So, to say, you really aren't Zhuang Qing Xia?"

  "I...". Qing Xia was suddenly speechless, how could she say that she had been killed by someone and then resurrected through a borrowed corpse?

  "You borrowed the identity of Zhuang Qingxia, first selling yourself to Prince An, then infiltrating Nan Chu, and finally getting close to Da Qin. Even I almost took you back to the mansion as my 17th concubine! Thinking about it now is shocking! What, are you a spy sent by the Xiongnu people outside the Great Wall to steal the Han dynasty's throne? Or do you have some unspeakable secret? Ah, what a pity, you were originally a good person, but why did you become a thief?"

  Swallow let out a long sigh and shook her head as she spoke.

  "Speak!" Qi An suddenly roared, saying in a low voice: "What did you do to her? You've already killed her, haven't you?"

  "I don't know!" Qing Xia suddenly raised his head and said angrily, "I don't know where she is? She was already dead when I came, how do you want me to answer you?"

  "This young lady," Zhuang Dianru slowly walked up from behind, his face calm and peaceful, but his eyes looked much older. He stopped in front of Qing Xia and said in a deep voice: "If you know where my daughter is, please tell me. Xia Er's life has been difficult since childhood, even if she's dead, I beg of you to let me see her body."

  "You..." Qing Xia looked at the old man standing in front of her with his head bowed, and suddenly didn't know what to say. A strong sense of sorrow surged up from the bottom of her heart, like a huge wave crashing against the shore, overwhelming her entire being. She bit her lower lip tightly, her face pale and bloodless, looking at the crowd gathered around her, and suddenly felt an overwhelming sadness wash over her.

  "You, staying by my side, is it really with ulterior motives?"

  A low, mournful voice slowly rose, carrying a thread of desolate bleakness. Qing Xia slowly lifted her head, looking at Chu Li's austere face, the corners of her mouth faintly smiling wryly as she finally said softly: "Whether or not I have ulterior motives, you should be clearer than anyone."

  "So why did you kill Zhuang Qingxia and sneak into the Southern Chu Imperial Palace with a hidden dragon and a crouching phoenix?" Chu Li suddenly said in a stern voice, his tone cold and menacing, filled with a strong murderous aura.

  Qing Xia slowly turned her head away, now saying anything was already useless. All the evidence pointed to her not being Zhuang Qing Xia, everything pointed to her having ulterior motives, so there was no need to explain anymore.

  Anyway, they're all unimportant people.

  Qing Xia thought to herself, whether it was Zhuang Father or Qi An, as for Chu Li, anyway she would have to cut ties with him, if thinking this way could make her feel a bit more at ease, then so be it.

  But why does it feel like my heart has been scalded by boiling oil?

  Those trivial matters of daily life, those bloody years of shared hardships, are still so fragile and vulnerable in the face of such so-called evidence.

  Chu Li, you never had any trust in me to begin with. Even if the person standing before you today was really Zhuang Qing Xia, I would still be speechless.

  "Your silence is an admission of guilt?" Qi An suddenly shouted, whipping out a sharp soft sword and pointing the tip at Qing Xia. In a low voice, he said: "Where is Qing Xia? If you tell me the truth, I'll spare your life."

  With a loud fluttering sound, the war flag of the Qin's Flame Camp suddenly rose, and all the soldiers instantly let out a loud shout, drawing their battle knives from their waists. Qin's Flame, in his silver-white armor, took large strides to stand in front of Qing Xia, blocking her behind him. His eyes coldly locked onto Yan Hui, Qi An, Chu Li, and others, fearlessly gazing at the vast army of the three kingdoms. His voice was icy, like solid ice, with no hint of a smile on his face, as he said: "Does the Crown Prince think that we are currently within the borders of Eastern Qi?"

  Zi An was taken aback, furrowed his brow and said: "Third prince, she is not Qing Xia. I have investigated clearly, she has a close relationship with the Xiongnu people on the Hantan Plateau, absolutely not a Han woman, must be a spy sent by the Xiongnu."

  Qin's flames coldly smiled and asked in return, "What does that have to do with anything? I've never known any Zhuang Qing Xia, all I know is that her name is Yima'er, now she's the one I admire, even if she were a Xiongnu woman, what's wrong with that?"

  Qian was taken aback and said in a cold voice: "In that case, I'll just have to offend you. This woman is someone I must get today."

  "My pleasure."

  A bleak wind suddenly picked up, bringing with it a vast expanse of icy white snow. The two nations of Qin and Qi stood with blades drawn, their points facing each other in a chilly standoff.

  Report!

  At this moment, a sudden long report suddenly entered the ear, and a scout from the Xichuan army rushed from the west, landed on horseback, knelt on the ground and said loudly: "Report to the general, the people of Bailu Castle are arrayed in front of Dabanpo ten miles away, openly provoking!"

  "What?" Yan raised an eyebrow and widened her eyes in incredulity, saying: "Are the people of White Deer Manor tired of living?"

  He was shocked for the first time, his eyes rolled over and he smiled: "Since the people of White Deer Fortress are eager to send medicine to our door, we might as well go and meet them. This is a four-country hunting trip, and we have already made an agreement not to fight each other. Even if there are grudges between you, please wait until after the hunt to settle them."

  "What else can I learn from you, Master of Chu?"

  Chu Li looked at Qin Zhiyan, his eyes icy cold enough to freeze people to death. Finally, he slowly turned around, step by step, walking towards the war horse, climbing onto its back, and riding off into the west.

  On the White Deer Plateau, it gradually quieted down. Qing Xia stood behind Qin Zhiyan, watching the crowd disappear into the distance, and felt the seawater at the bottom of her heart slowly rising, spreading over her limbs, a chilling coldness that pierced to the bone.

  "Qin's flames, I have an unclear origin and a suspicious identity. Aren't you afraid that I am a spy for the Xiongnu?"

  It's that good Sichuan peppercorn flavor again, Qin Zhiyan's eyes softened at the corners, with a gentle warmth like the tide, "How is it that you have an unknown origin? You've forgotten, your name is Yimaer, from a country on the other side of the distant ocean, where they produce a kind of chicken that isn't very delicious but is very convenient. Someday we'll have the chance to try some."

  "Qin's flames......" An uncontrollable sourness suddenly surged up in her heart, and her voice also trembled slightly, but she still stubbornly refused to shed tears. "Do you believe me?"

  The tall and slender man smiled slightly, reached out his hand to gently stroke her pale face, and said slowly: "As long as it's you who says so, I'll believe anything."

  The clouds are rolling and unfolding at the edge of the sky, on the vast White Deer Plain, the north wind is howling.