Unyielding Spring Mountains - Chapter 75: Pursuit

Smoke and flames filled the battlefield.

The Qi army had received prior intelligence about Jin Wang’s location, deliberately detouring to directly claim his head.

The battle formations continuously rotated. The wounded at the front retreated, while soldiers from the rear ceaselessly replenished the lines.

Qi’s army was well-manned, not fearing a prolonged battle. Yet after two days and nights of confrontation with Jin, the Jin forces hadn’t crumbled as expected; their defenses remained as solid as steel.

Although they only had twenty thousand soldiers, they fiercely resisted, growing braver with each battle, as if their bloodlust had been fully ignited.

Noticing something was amiss, the Qi general ordered, “Call for reinforcements immediately!”

They had ten times the troops of Jin Wang. This battle was certain to end with Jin Wang’s capture!

In front of the Jin army’s tents, ranks of soldiers formed formations.

As the front line slaughtered their enemies, the backup soldiers showed no sign of retreat.

Jin Wang, mounted on a steed, patrolled the formations, boosting morale.

Everyone saw that powerful warhorse—tall, fierce, and intimidating. The man riding it was even more imposing and brave. His dark cloak billowed like a banner, his aura of dominance washing over all present.

Their blood boiled.

“Once, we Jins endured endless humiliation, blood flowing like rivers, bones piled into mountains, before we forged today’s territory! Now, the Qi people harm our women and children, destroy our homeland, and scorn our king’s power. How can we, Jin, tolerate such ants?”

He held a precious sword, riding past the troops, striking their spears with his blade.

“So, what shall we do?”

“Fight!”

“What shall we do?”

“Fight!”

The Jin army’s cries echoed through the mountains and fields.

“I need you! Great Jin’s rivers and mountains need you! Take up your weapons, pick up your swords and spears, think of your wives and children at home, think of the refugees you saw along the way. You are invincible; you are my wolves and tigers!”

The Jin army’s blood surged, rushing forward like a tide.

“Only by killing the enemy can we protect our home! Only by destroying Qi can we defend our nation! My soldiers, charge forward for me!”

“Fight for me!”

His impassioned words reverberated between heaven and earth.

Jin Wang gripped his precious sword, watching his troops charge forward without fear.

The sounds of slaughter roared through the mountains. Jin Wang pulled his horse around, his face taut. He coldly asked the deputy general beside him, “Where are the reinforcements?”

The deputy general shook his head. “They cannot arrive. Last night, I sent word, but there has been no reply from General Qi Yan or Commander Pang.”

If the reinforcements hadn’t come, there was only one possibility: they couldn’t make it.

Jin Wang’s face turned solemn as he stood on his horse, gazing into the distance.

Yellow sand filled the air, blood splashed through the sky, and severed limbs and broken bodies continuously flew about.

Suddenly, he clutched his chest, his expression twisted in pain as blood seeped from his lips.

Hong Shuo, beside him, immediately reacted, rushing over, “Your Majesty!”

Hong Shuo urged him to rest within the command tent, but Jin Wang shook his head. “I am fine. As long as I am here, the soldiers will feel at ease going into battle.”

Jin Wang wiped away the blood and smiled. “Today, Jin, outnumbered ten to one, is fighting such a battle in its final hour. It is worth the effort.”

“Your Majesty!” Hong Shuo was alarmed, noticing cold sweat gathering on Jin Wang’s forehead. He hurriedly supported him off the horse.

Jin Wang endured the pain, not letting his face reveal the slightest discomfort, walking calmly so the soldiers wouldn’t notice anything amiss.

But the stabbing pain in his chest continued, as if his heart was breaking. He nearly collapsed, gritting his teeth and slowly moving aside.

Only when he reached a quieter place did Jin Wang lean against Hong Shuo, gasping heavily.

The pain in his chest was a condition left by a beast’s clawing early in the year. Before the expedition, he had a premonition that his end was near, that his days were numbered.

He had spent his life on the battlefield, slaughtering enemies from horseback. To die confined to a sickbed was unthinkable.

So he endured the excruciating pain, knowing he would die at the border, yet still choosing to make the journey.

Today was his final battle.

“Help me to the king’s tent to rest.”

Hong Shuo’s hands trembled uncontrollably. Gazing at the distant verdant mountains, he felt an overwhelming premonition.

The blazing sun that had shone over Jin for decades was about to set today.

Just then, a cold arrow flew from behind without warning!

With a sharp sound, it pierced his armor, and blood splattered everywhere!

Under the blinding sunlight, everyone in front of the king’s tent saw the arrow strike Jin Wang.

Jin Wang staggered forward, coughing up blood, and fell to his knees.

Everyone was stunned. Cries of alarm erupted, and chaos spread.

“Protect the King!”

“There’s a traitor in the camp! Quickly, escort the King to safety!”

Jin Wang drew a sword from a soldier’s hand, slicing off the arrow behind him. Turning around, he glared at the treacherous officer who hadn’t yet escaped, blood trickling from his lips as he swung the sword with fury.

The traitor was killed instantly, his head rolling to the ground, frozen in a terrified expression.

Blood-soaked, Jin Wang was carried into the tent. As he lay down, the bedding was soon stained red.

“Where is the healer? Summon the healer, quickly!” The deputy general shouted in panic.

Jin Wang struggled to sit up, panting. “We cannot let the soldiers panic. Tell them… I am fine…”

His breathing grew shallow.

Hong Shuo wept. “Your Majesty, you must establish the crown prince before it’s too late!”

Everyone pleaded, “Your Majesty, if you leave now, Jin will surely fall into chaos. You must immediately name a successor!”

Jin Wang gripped the edge of the bed, struggling to sit up. “Bring me the brush and ink…”

Hong Shuo, eyes brimming with tears, brought forth the bamboo slips and ink.

In front of him, generals knelt, sensing the approach of death. Despair filled the air.

Jin Wang reached out but no longer had the strength to lift the brush.

His hand fell heavily on the bed’s edge. Lifting his head, he said to Hong Shuo, “I will speak. You write…”

Hong Shuo leaned in to listen, his face pale as wax. “Your Majesty, reconsider! You cannot do this!”

“Write as I command!” Jin Wang spat blood, splattering the bamboo slips.

Hong Shuo held back tears and began to write. After he finished, he sealed it with the royal seal.

The old man lay on the bed, his twitching fingers still struggling to grasp the bedding.

“Ah Hui, Ah Qin…” he murmured weakly.

These were the names of the queen and Princess Ji Qin.

Inside the tent, everyone sobbed. “Your Majesty!”

Before Jin Wang was a dazzling brightness. All the cries, the sounds of slaughter, all disappeared, leaving only boundless silence.

He had three regrets in this life. First, he regretted not being able to conquer all the states and unify the world. Second, he regretted decades of war, unable to accompany his wife. Most of all, he regretted his estrangement with his daughter all those years ago…

Images of his daughter from when she was just of age emerged before his eyes. The flower adornment between her brows glowed brightly as she turned her head, hiding in her mother’s arms, smiling and calling him: “Father.”

Jin Wang reached his hand out toward his daughter.

He could tell her he had treated her child well.

A lifetime of memories flashed before his eyes like a moving panorama. Many faces appeared and faded like smoke, leaving only his daughter and his wife.

Jin Wang’s hand slowly lowered, and he closed his eyes with a smile.

In the late spring of May, the mighty hero Jin Wang Ji Geng passed away on Mount Zhuke.

The sound of mourning cries echoed within the king’s tent, and the air was thick with grief.

Yet no one could grieve for long; the army was still at war. Qi’s reinforcements had arrived, their forces even fiercer than before.

Zuo Ying stepped out of the king’s tent, gazing at the distant beacon smoke. He said to Jin Wang’s personal guard, Ji Run, “The Qi army is attacking fiercely. We must find a way to protect the king’s body. Under no circumstances can it fall into enemy hands.”

Ji Run replied, “There must be traitors still lurking within the camp. Spies and conspirators are everywhere. Now that the king has passed, those people are restless, surely plotting to steal the edict of succession.”

For the enemy to know their position so precisely, the traitor must be among them.

Ji Run gritted his teeth and said, “I will find a way to escort the king’s body and the edict out. Mr. Zuo, you must find General Qi!”

The situation was urgent, and there was no time to lose.

Zuo Ying looked at the man before him. This was Jin Wang’s nephew and the leader of his personal guards. Yet, even he could not be sure of Ji Run’s loyalty to Jin Wang.

Around them, anyone could have been turned.

Even within the tent, among the kneeling soldiers, who was loyal and who was treacherous was impossible to discern.

Zuo Ying held a copy of the edict. The king’s last will involved Qi Yan, and Zuo Ying hoped he could reach him in time.

He said, “Take care!”

Zuo Ying spurred his horse, galloping toward the hills.

Ji Run withdrew his gaze and was about to turn back when he saw several soldiers approaching the front of the camp, swords drawn and striding purposefully.

Rage burned in his eyes. The hidden traitors had finally shown themselves. His sword spun in his hand, and he shouted to the men in the tent, “Protect the king’s body and the edict. The rest of you, come out and face the enemy!”

The two groups of soldiers clashed, their battle cries echoing above the camp.

Birds scattered from the woods, fleeing into the sky.

Meanwhile, Wei Zhen had already arrived at another battlefield.

Below the gorge lay a heap of corpses. Broken spears stuck out of the yellow earth, a scene of utter desolation. The remains of men and blood painted a portrait of hell on earth.

Wei Zhen felt as if her heart had been brutally stabbed. Even breathing was excruciating.

The guards stopped and looked at the young woman on horseback. The blood-red sunlight spread over her face, but it couldn’t touch the coldness in her expression.

Wei Zhen said nothing, her grip on the reins so tight that her hands were covered in blood.

A guard dismounted to inspect the bodies lying by the roadside. He returned and reported, “Half of the dead are soldiers of Jin, and the other half are of Qi.”

The surrounding area was filled with an eerie silence.

The guards dared not speak. Finally, someone said, “Princess, you should go back. The smoke below is still burning. The Qi army likely hasn’t gone far and could return at any moment.”

Just as he spoke, voices came from ahead.

They hid within the forest, the dense vegetation concealing their presence.

The newcomers were soldiers of Qi.

“I thought this battle would be an easy victory. But to think that despite having several times their number, we were still defeated? If this report reaches the capital, the King will be furious.”

Through the gaps in the trees, Wei Zhen saw the leading commander berating his soldiers.

“Our only option now is to capture Qi Yan and bring him back to Qi to calm the King’s anger!”

“General, that Qi Yan is indeed cunning. He lured most of our remaining troops away by himself. Now, the deputy commander has already led men north to chase him down. He won’t last long!”

The group gradually moved away, their hoofbeats eventually fading from hearing. Wei Zhen urged her horse from the forest.

She glanced at the sheepskin map in her hand and turned her horse around, ignoring the calls of her guards as she galloped northward.

“Princess!”

No matter how her guards tried to dissuade her, Wei Zhen remained determined. They had seen her stubbornness on the journey and, finding it futile, could only follow.

Along the road, Jin’s dead soldiers were everywhere. Wei Zhen’s heart bled as if something was pounding heavily upon it, a sharp pain spreading throughout her body.

She moved through the gorge, as if she could feel the anguish Qi Yan must have endured here.

There were so many things she hadn’t had the chance to tell him. Before she left the capital a few days ago, she received his letter, confirming that he was Jin Lan. Yet in their previous life, he had never told her his true identity.

This life had been a winding path. He gave her the luminous pearl lamp, healed her eyes, and celebrated her birthday…

He had said he would marry her after returning. How could he break his promise?

Terror flooded Wei Zhen’s chest, fearing she would never see him again.

She rode urgently for days. Blood rose to her throat, but she swallowed it down, pressing forward with all her might.

“Hyah!”

They rode for a long time, emerging from the valley and stepping onto the plains. Gradually, the surroundings turned into barren wasteland, with no vegetation in sight, until a stretch of yellow sand appeared ahead.

“Princess! Up ahead is the desert!”

Everyone reined in their horses, the animals hesitating, unwilling to proceed.

Wei Zhen dismounted, spotting a trail of winding blood on the ground, surrounded by chaotic hoofprints scattered all around, stretching into the desert ahead.

“Princess, you can’t go in there. It’s too dangerous.”

Wei Zhen stood up and said, “Then you all go in and help me find General Qi.”

The guards exchanged glances and shook their heads. “We are sworn to protect the princess and only guard her side. As for this request, we must ask for Your Highness’s forgiveness, for we are powerless to fulfill it.”

“Princess, please return. The desert is desolate, devoid of life, filled with great danger. Without a guide, one will surely get lost upon entering.”

She knew all of this, but Wei Zhen could not stand by and do nothing. Once she made up her mind, no one could dissuade her.

Wei Zhen mounted her horse again. Instead of heading straight into the desert, she turned her horse around.

Everyone thought Wei Zhen had given up on the idea, until they followed her to a nearby lush, verdant forest.

One of the guards asked in confusion, “Princess?”

Wei Zhen crouched down by the lakeside and took out a water pouch to fill it.

“I know you all value your lives and don’t wish to enter the wilderness. Those willing to follow me may stay. Those unwilling may leave. I will not force anyone.”

Looking at her reflection in the lake, Wei Zhen said softly, “But no matter what, I will not leave.”

She filled one water pouch, then picked up another. Having seen the map earlier and knowing she was about to enter the desert, she had deliberately gathered extra water pouches from fallen soldiers along the way for future use.

The guards discussed among themselves and, in the end, fifteen of them chose to follow her.

Wei Zhen smiled and said, “If we can make it out of the desert, I will request my father to grant each of you a promotion of three ranks when we return to Wei.”

She double-checked the saddle and reins, then said, “Let’s go.”

Once more, Wei Zhen arrived at the edge of the desert. The vast sea of sand stretched endlessly, rising and falling like frozen waves, its tranquility concealing a raging tempest beneath.

The horses sensed danger, their legs trembling as they stepped back.

The glow of the setting sun fell upon her face. Wei Zhen’s hair billowed in the wind as she tore a piece of silk from her hem, using it as a veil to cover her face. Her long dress swirled like flames, resembling a burning blaze.

She looked up at the sky, her heart filled with a determination as if preparing to face death, and fiercely lashed her whip. “Hyah!”

Dozens of horses charged into the boundless sea of sand.