Immortal Travel of Longevity

"Three thousand troops!"

"Just three thousand! I can hold off the Imperial Court's forces for half a year!"

The grand army set out, marching north toward Iron Fortress Pass!

A mere three thousand troops were tasked with holding off the Imperial Court's forces heading south from the flank.

The man who spoke these words was Sun Wuneng, a fierce general under Prince Jin. He had distinguished himself early on during the wars against Prince Xiao, excelling at fighting outnumbered. With just two thousand troops, he had once tied down Prince Xiao's army of over ten thousand for several days, slaying more than three thousand enemies. That crushing blow to the Xiao Army's morale had played a decisive role in the war.

Sun Wuneng had already made a military pledge, vowing to use his three thousand men to drag down the Imperial Court's flanking forces for half a year.

Half a year would be enough time for the soldiers on the other front to take down the Yan Army.

Prince Jin's ambitions were massive. From the very beginning, he had planned to wage war on two fronts: advancing north while devouring the south!

This was an enormous gamble. Nothing could be allowed to go wrong, and it demanded a swift, decisive victory without delay. Now that the Yan Army had entered the board, the true war had finally begun!

The Prince of Yan's army arrived at the city gates.

The commanding general gazed at Dongyang Pass in the distance. Stroking his white beard, he raised his command token and barked, "Breach the pass!"

The metallic scrape of drawn blades mixed with endless battle cries, creating a deafening uproar.

But suddenly, the pass gates swung wide open, and a boundless tide of the Jin Army charged out.

"Report!"

Inside the Yan Army's command tent.

A soldier rushed in and dropped to his knees, shouting, "The Jin Army has opened the gates! The enemy forces pouring out number at least ten thousand by sight alone, and they're still increasing!"

The commanders in the tent furrowed their brows and shot to their feet.

"Well played, Prince Jin!"

Only then did everyone process the shock.

They realized this was a premeditated ambush. Prince Jin had stationed troops here to wait for them long ago.

It wasn't that they couldn't see through the plot; it was just that no one imagined Prince Jin would dare wage war on two fronts simultaneously. It was a reckless overestimation of his own strength, an act that severed his own escape route.

The commanding general sneered. "With such an enormous appetite, he isn't afraid of choking. Two fronts at once? Pure fantasy!"

"Relay my orders! Break Dongyang Pass at once!"

As long as Dongyang Pass fell, the Jin Army would become a turtle in a jar. Surrounded by both the Imperial Court and the Yan Army, they would undoubtedly crumble into scattered sand.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Court had also received the news.

"Report!"

"Reporting to Your Highness! The Yan Army has reached Dongyang Pass! Numbering around sixty thousand, they have already engaged Prince Jin's forces!"

"Good!"

The man addressed as Your Highness slammed the table and stood up.

"Summon the commander of the Valiant Cavalry Camp..."

"Summon the Owl Banner Commander of the Left Guard..."

"Summon the Southern Pacification Army..."

"Summon..."

In an instant, a paranoid terror took over the realm, like hearing the wind in the trees and cries of cranes.

Almost every spearhead under heaven was now pointed at Prince Jin.

In a matter of days, the Imperial Court finished rallying its forces. A total of fifty thousand troops were deployed: twenty thousand heading south to intercept the Jin Army, and the other thirty thousand flanking from the side to force their way into the clash between Jin and Yan.

On the borders, meanwhile, the North Desert People were sharpening their blades. Having finished recuperating, they raised their armies once more to continue seizing cities.

East, west, south, and north—there was no peace to be found anywhere.

The world was plunged into chaotic war, scarred by the endless fires of battle.

...

Ruyi returned to Qingshan City.

After passing through obstacle after obstacle, she had finally made it back.

Creak...

Chuanfeng Alley was far too quiet.

When Ruyi pushed open the door and stepped inside, the ground was covered in a thick layer of dust. Dust drifted down from the eaves, nearly getting in her eyes.

"Cough, cough..."

Ruyi coughed a couple of times and walked into the courtyard.

It was entirely empty, yet completely trashed.

It looked as though someone had come through and ransacked the place.

Most likely, after failing to find anything valuable, they had smashed things up at random before leaving in disappointment.

"Sigh..."

Ruyi let out a soft sigh, already having a good idea of who had done this.

It was undoubtedly the work of the Prince of Yan's army. Qingshan City had been occupied, and since Prince Wei's Manor used to be located here, the area was naturally scoured for loot following the King of Wei's downfall.

She tidied up the mess in the courtyard.

Then, Ruyi went to the courtyard next door.

The result was the same—Uncle Chen's courtyard was just as chaotic.

Ruyi went ahead and cleaned that one up too.

As well as the two courtyards across the street.

They were all empty.

No one was left.

Ruyi sighed gently, feeling helpless. One departure, one return, and everything had completely changed.

She left the house and went to see her mother.

Seeing her again, her mother now had a head full of white hair and a face lined with wrinkles. She had aged considerably.

"Ah... ah..."

Wang Sanniang cried out in surprise and hurried forward to embrace her. "You wretched girl, when did you get back?! Come here, let your mother hug you, hurry..."

Wang Sanniang's eyes turned red with joy. It had been far too long, and her longing for her children finally spilled over.

"Mother..."

Ruyi called out, leaning into the embrace.

Wang Sanniang lightly wiped the corners of her eyes and said, "It's good that you're back. It's good that you're back."

Lihua squatted off to the side, licking its paws.

Watching this reunion between mother and daughter, it didn't make a sound to disturb them.

But it was still somewhat touching.

As Lihua thought about this, it remembered Mo Yu, realizing it missed Mo Yu too.

"Sigh..."

Lihua let out a soft sigh, wondering where Mo Yu could be now.

Qingshan City was no longer the bustling place it used to be.

Most likely due to the suppression and extortion by the Yan Army, the locals had fled elsewhere. Even though there was trouble everywhere, it was still far less trouble than staying in Qingshan City.

With fewer people, the streets inevitably felt desolate.

Patrolling soldiers frequently jogged past, leaving the remaining residents in a state of constant anxiety.

Life was not easy.

Ruyi watched all of this and was reminded of when the Rebel Army had first entered the city. It had been much the same back then, a memory from when she was very, very young.

Ruyi didn't travel any further.

She simply decided to stay peacefully in Qingshan City and keep her mother company.

While cooking rice porridge, Wang Sanniang asked, "What about Ping'an? How is Ping'an doing?"

Ruyi froze for a moment before replying, "He's doing well. The Imperial Court is safer than anywhere else, at least."

Hearing this, Wang Sanniang breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good, that's good. As long as you two are safe and sound, your mother can rest easy."

Ruyi murmured in agreement, deliberately omitting any mention of the North-South Martial Alliance. She didn't want her mother to worry over it.

Wang Sanniang gave a soft sigh and lowered her head to stir the porridge in the pot.

She didn't expose the lie, choosing not to ask further.

As their mother, she had always caught wind of what her son and daughter had been up to over these years.

"You are both successful children," Wang Sanniang remarked.

Ruyi paused in surprise, then gave a soft hum of agreement.

Lihua let out a yawn, smacking its lips as it stared at the porridge in the pot, growing somewhat hungry.

After Ruyi and Lihua returned to the small courtyard in Chuanfeng Alley.

Ruyi found an old, worn-out chair and lay back. Resting her head on her hands, she gazed out at the distant setting sun, her thoughts inexplicably drifting far away.

"Lihua..."

"Hmm?"

Lihua looked over at Ruyi.

Ruyi was lost in thought, feeling a little dazed as she asked, "Say... how old am I this year?"

She asked this out loud.

Lihua blinked and said, "Doesn't Ruyi know how old Ruyi is? If Ruyi asks Lihua, Lihua doesn't know either."

Ruyi murmured, "I've forgotten too..."

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