Ah Jiu removed the mask from her face. Though her words were light and casual, her tone was filled with absolute resolve. Xia Qingqing couldn’t help but feel a surge of respect. She had always thought of Ah Jiu as gentle and soft-natured, but it turned out she was soft on the outside yet firm within.
“Ah Jiu, I will always be with you.” Xia Qingqing went over and held her tightly.
Just as the two women were lost in their sorrow, a teasing voice came from the entrance: “Taking the enemy commander’s head from amidst tens of thousands of troops—though difficult, it’s not entirely impossible.”
Hearing that familiar voice, the two women trembled. They spun around to see a handsome man standing at the entrance with a faint smile. Who else could it be but Song Qingshu?
“Song Lang!”
“Big Brother Song!”
The two women’s beautiful faces first showed expressions of disbelief. Soon enough, they snapped out of it and rushed over.
Song Qingshu smiled and opened his arms, pulling one woman into each embrace. “Did you miss me?”
“So annoying~” The two women scolded coquettishly. Though they were now as close as sisters, sharing a husband inevitably carried some awkwardness. Normally, they would never have let Song Qingshu hold them both so easily. But this time, having worried day and night about his safety, now that they knew he was safe and sound, their momentary excitement made them forget all that.
Seeing their fair, delicate skin, each with her own allure and charm, Song Qingshu was thoroughly enticed. He lowered his head and ki$$ed each of them on the cheek.
Ah Jiu and Xia Qingqing frowned. After the initial surprise, they gradually regained their composure. For some reason, this “Song Qingshu” exuded an unfamiliar aura. They glanced at each other involuntarily. As close as sisters, having lived together these past days, they had come to understand each other’s minds. Seeing the same concern in each other’s eyes, they nodded discreetly, then simultaneously grabbed the hands he had placed on their shoulders, while striking at his ribs with their other hands. Their attacks were vicious and ruthless, devoid of the tender affection from moments ago, as if he were their mortal enemy.
With their hands restraining his and such close-range attacks, it would be difficult for even the most skilled martial artist to defend. The “Song Qingshu” was clearly caught off guard. But at the critical moment, he twisted his body in an incredible way, evading their killing blows. Then, transmitting his internal energy to his wrists, he shook off Ah Jiu and Xia Qingqing’s hands. His form flickered, and in an instant, he was crouching on a table not far away.
“Have you two been stealing other men behind my back? Is this how you murder your husband?” The man crouched on the table, half on guard against the women’s next attacks, half teasing.
“Pah!” Ah Jiu blushed and spat. “What lecher are you, to dare impersonate my Song Lang?”
It turned out that as women who shared Song Qingshu’s bed, Ah Jiu and Xia Qingqing were well aware of the miraculous art of disguise. Compared to other women who were completely defenseless, their guard was much higher. At the slightest hint of something amiss, they would immediately suspect a disguise, unlike other women who might remain oblivious.
Ah Jiu and Xia Qingqing attacked him together. Both women were first-rate *wulin* masters. Ah Jiu, in particular, could be counted among the top tier. Moreover, familiar with each other, their combined power was more than double. Though the “Song Qingshu” had formidable martial arts, he was still forced into a flustered defense.
After barely managing to fend off the two women’s attacks with a series of desperate blocks, the “Song Qingshu” quickly made a “stop” gesture. “Wait! What gave me away, you two beauties?”
Ah Jiu and Xia Qingqing exchanged glances, seeing the shock and uncertainty in each other’s eyes. The man was no longer deliberately imitating Song Qingshu’s voice. He had reverted to his natural tone—clearly a woman’s voice.
“Who are you, really?” Xia Qingqing asked in a low voice. She quickly ran through the list of disguise experts in the *wulin* but found no clue.
“Miss Qingqing, don’t you remember me?” The “Song Qingshu” tore off the mask on his face, revealing a face of breathtaking beauty. But unlike ordinary beauties, her brows were like clouds, her phoenix eyes imposing. She had more heroic spirit than most women, and also more… dominance. Who else could it be but Dongfang Muxue?
“Miss Xue?” Xia Qingqing exclaimed, quickly stopping Ah Jiu beside her. “How did you end up here?” She explained the woman’s identity to Ah Jiu as she spoke.
“So you’re Miss Xue.” Ah Jiu also sheathed her sword, a look of surprise in her eyes. She had long known of this woman’s existence and had been curious about what kind of remarkable woman could earn Song Qingshu’s trust so completely and manipulate a vast empire from within the Forbidden City.
Now that they had finally met, she truly seemed like an immortal.
“A pleasure to meet you, Ninth Princess.” Dongfang Muxue returned the greeting.
“Miss Xue is too kind.” This spirited, heroic woman seemed to possess an inexplicable presence. Ah Jiu couldn’t help but feel admiration.
Dongfang Muxue smiled faintly. “How did you spot the flaw? I thought I was disguised flawlessly.”
“Your aura is different from his,” Ah Jiu answered, her cheeks slightly flushed.
“I see.” Dongfang Muxue suddenly understood. She looked at the two women with a knowing smile. “You’re certainly very familiar with his aura.”
Ah Jiu was fine with it—after all, she was Song Qingshu’s lawfully wedded wife. But Xia Qingqing felt somewhat embarrassed. On the surface, she was still Madam Yuan. She quickly changed the subject. “Miss Xue, how did you end up here? Can you really leave the capital?”
“Even if I can’t, I have to. If that Song fellow comes back and finds his two beautiful sweethearts in trouble and I did nothing to help, he’d surely blow up at me.” Dongfang Muxue let out a long sigh.
“Miss Xue~” Even Ah Jiu was a bit flustered now.
“Alright, alright,” Dongfang Muxue said, seeing that she had teased them enough. She turned serious, her expression grave. “According to intelligence from the Pole Arms Division, the situation in the Golden Serpent Camp is not optimistic. I’ve synthesized reports from various sources and determined that things are even worse than expected. You’re probably on the verge of collapse here. So I arranged everything in the Forbidden City and came to see if I could help.”
Ah Jiu said worriedly, “But the Revolt of the Three Feudatories is raging. The court’s situation is already precarious. If you leave at such a time and the Three Feudatories gain ground, we could end up losing even more.” She clearly regarded both the Qing court and the Golden Serpent Camp as Song Qingshu’s enterprises. Her use of “we” raised no eyebrows from Dongfang Muxue or Xia Qingqing, whose thoughts clearly aligned.
“Don’t worry. I left everything in good order before I left. Qu Feiyan is there to handle things, and over the past two years I’ve promoted many capable trusted aides. If I leave for a few days and return quickly, it should be fine,” Dongfang Muxue replied.
Hearing this, Ah Jiu and Xia Qingqing noticed the dust of travel on her face. From the capital to here was nearly two thousand *li*, and she had to race against time. They could only imagine how arduous the journey had been.
Dongfang Muxue, perceptive as she was, saw their expressions and instantly understood their thoughts. She smiled. “Don’t worry. With my level of skill, this bit of exertion is nothing. Let’s talk about tomorrow’s charge.”
Ah Jiu smiled bitterly. “I was too impulsive. If I had known Miss Xue was coming, I could have stalled for time. There would have been a better solution.”
“Ninth Princess, though your action seemed impulsive, on reflection, it was the most effective way to solve the current dilemma,” Dongfang Muxue reassured her. “Right now, the entire Golden Serpent Camp is in turmoil over the news of Song Qingshu’s mishap. Morale is at rock bottom. Defeat is almost certain. In such a situation, gambling on a charge might offer a chance to turn things around.”
Ah Jiu sighed. “But taking the enemy commander’s head from amidst thousands of horsemen—easier said than done.”
Xia Qingqing put her arm around her and said softly, “I’ll accompany you tomorrow.”
Dongfang Muxue suddenly spoke. “Tomorrow, I will disguise myself as Song Qingshu and lead the charge.”
Ah Jiu was shocked. “How can that be? Tomorrow’s charge is a death sentence. Besides, it was my idea. How can I let you take the risk?”
Dongfang Muxue reached out and gently touched Ah Jiu’s soft, delicate chin, causing the other woman to blush. “Don’t worry. For anyone else, it would indeed be certain death. But I have a thirty percent chance.”
Ah Jiu’s delicate brows furrowed. She seemed to be choosing her words. “Miss Xue, though your martial arts are somewhat stronger than mine, the difference is limited…” Her implication was clear: she was somewhat dismissive of Dongfang Muxue’s claim. They had just exchanged blows, and Ah Jiu had a rough estimate of Dongfang Muxue’s abilities.
Dongfang Muxue had first been wounded by Feng Qingyang’s innate sword Qi, then ambushed by Ming Zun. Though she had survived, she was still seriously injured. After all this time recuperating, she had only managed to recover about forty percent of her peak strength. It was solely due to her exceptional combat experience that she had an advantage over Ah Jiu.
Dongfang Muxue explained, “Battlefield slaughter is different from *wulin* duels. Our martial arts may be close now, but Ninth Princess, you were born to royalty and are inherently kind-hearted. You lack sufficient killing intent. On the battlefield, you would struggle to unleash your full power—you might even be less effective than a veteran soldier.”
Ah Jiu fell silent. She knew Dongfang Muxue spoke the truth. Back when the Qing court had sent a great army to suppress the Golden Serpent Camp, their group of experts had been trapped by a mere century.
Dongfang Muxue continued, “That’s why I am the only choice to lead the charge. But I will need your help.”
Ah Jiu’s eyes lit up. “How can I help?”
Dongfang Muxue said thoughtfully, “Historically, so many have failed in such charges because the commanding generals, though brave, charged blindly. They instinctively headed toward the densest concentration of enemies, which naturally led to death. The only chance lies in charging the seams between enemy units—like a butcher carving an ox—betting that the different units cannot coordinate their response quickly enough. That is the only sliver of hope. But when I’m in the thick of battle, I may not be able to see the enemy’s formation clearly. So I need Ninth Princess to stand on high ground and signal to me, directing my charge.”