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 The lamp cast flickering shadows, spring chill biting, as the old wooden window creaked under the night wind.

The earthen hut was sparsely furnished, with peeling walls and sieve-like window panes. The piercing cold swept into the room in waves, causing the lamp flame to sway erratically.

Yun Shiqing held command over half of Great Ye's military power. Should he escape, the consequences would be unimaginable. Mu Qi dared not be negligent and personally led his men to pursue him. Ulusuntu, wholly focused on Liu Qi’s wound, did not follow. Instead, he ordered the preparation of charcoal, yellow wine, a small knife, and clean gauze before beginning to treat Liu Qi’s injury.

Although the arrowhead lacked barbs, pulling it out by force would only worsen the wound. Ulusuntu intended to use the yellow wine to carefully clean the blood around the injury, but Liu Qi suddenly seized his wrist.

Startled, he looked up. Liu Qi said, “Don’t use wine. Go prepare some saline.”

Ulusuntu’s eyes widened. “Why? Saltwater will hurt a lot!”

Liu Qi’s face was pale, and his smile lacked its usual vitality. “Just use saline. I can handle it.”

Though he didn’t understand why, Ulusuntu had no choice but to swap the wine for saline. The cold, clear saltwater was poured over the wound, and Liu Qi couldn’t help but shudder violently. The veins on his neck and temple bulged sharply.

Afraid Liu Qi might bite his tongue from the pain, Ulusuntu quickly stuffed a bamboo slat into his mouth. Then, he used the heated knife to make a careful incision and gently removed the arrow.

Cold sweat poured down Liu Qi like a waterfall. His body trembled uncontrollably from the pain, and even the iron chains binding his limbs quivered, letting out crisp clinks.

Ulusuntu was no more at ease. Sweat beaded on his brow and the sides of his nose, and his fingers trembled slightly in fear as he applied the medicinal powder.

“This powder was developed by a renowned doctor from Gongbu. It’s excellent for regenerating flesh and stopping bleeding.” As he cut a piece of gauze and wrapped the wound, Ulusuntu added, “Fortunately, the arrow wasn’t poisoned and didn’t damage the tendons or bones. With proper care, you’ll recover in a few days.”

Whether it was the powder taking effect or the pain numbing his lower limbs, Liu Qi gradually felt the pain recede, and his breathing began to steady.

He lowered his head slightly and met a pair of worried eyes. He gave a weak smile. “Thank you, Young Master.”

Ulusuntu stood up, cleaned the mess in silence, and left without a word.

Liu Qi lifted his left leg slightly. The pain surged back. He slowly dragged himself onto the bed, about to lie down, when he saw Ulusuntu return, holding two somewhat worn but clean quilts. He neatly spread them out on the floor.

Liu Qi frowned and asked, “You’re staying here tonight?”

Afraid of being driven out, Ulusuntu quickly lay down under the covers. “You’re injured and chained. If you need to get up during the night, I can help take care of you.”

Liu Qi couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re worried Mu Qi will send someone to sneak in and kill me during the night, aren’t you?”

Ulusuntu said nothing.

Liu Qi slowly lay down. After a long pause, he added, “Five years ago, your esteemed father used mountain bandits and raiders as a diversion to shift attention. He quietly transferred trusted troops into Yazhou. Using his position as Transport Commissioner, he amassed wealth in Shu, recruited soldiers in secret, expanded his power, and even turned all of Great Ye’s troops stationed across the provinces of Shu to his side. Is that correct?”

Ulusuntu looked at him in surprise, still remaining silent.

Liu Qi continued, “Your esteemed father now commands two hundred thousand of Great Ye’s troops. It’s nothing more than preparation to bide his time and, when the moment is right, march into Zongge City, kill Mu Nie Zanpu and take his place.”

Ulusuntu’s silence made Liu Qi even bolder in his speculation. “Ten years ago, Shen Jie went to assume his post in Shu, only to be ambushed on the road. His entire family was slaughtered. After that, your father assumed his identity and inherited all his authority. Is what I’m saying true?”

Ulusuntu suddenly pulled the quilt over his head. “Stop asking me!”

Liu Qi paused, then asked again, “How old are you?”

Ulusuntu’s voice came muffled through the quilt. “Nineteen.”

At such an age, his heart was still pure, completely unlike his father Mu Qi’s cruel and vicious nature.

For once, Liu Qi felt a twinge of guilt. “Your father wasn’t wrong. I approached you at first only to investigate the tribute matter. Later, when I discovered something unusual about your identity, I played along and tried to please you.”

Ulusuntu lifted the quilt and looked at him. “I’m not stupid. I knew it.”

Liu Qi was slightly surprised. “You knew I was lying to you, yet you still gave me the map of Nazang?”

Ulusuntu fell silent again.

Liu Qi spoke gently. “You are kind by nature. You shouldn’t be dragged into this kind of storm. Your father’s actions are condemned by both justice and law. If he fails, neither Nazang nor Great Ye will spare him. If you’re willing to help me leave this place, I’ll guarantee your safety and make sure you’re not implicated.”

Ulusuntu seemed tongue-tied, and after a long while, he said, “Father and son, ruler and subject, benevolence, filial piety, propriety, righteousness. He’s my father. I will never betray him. Besides, you’re the Prime Minister of Great Ye. Skilled in scheming and manipulating hearts. I can’t outplay you. Don’t lie to me anymore.”

Liu Qi gave a helpless smile. “I’ve already spoken honestly. I won’t deceive you again. You are still young. You should have a bright and vibrant life ahead.”

Ulusuntu stared at him, eyes soft and full of emotion, making the young man’s heart stir.

After a long time, Ulusuntu turned his face away and said faintly, “You’re injured. Sleep early. The night wind is strong, keep yourself covered.” With that, he pulled the quilt over himself again, determined to ignore him.

The village sat at the foot of Qionglai Mountain. The night wind howled fiercely, bitterly cold. Even with charcoal heating the room, the chill pierced through the cracked walls, seeping in from every direction.

Liu Qi’s hands and feet were shackled. Even the slightest movement made a considerable noise. Though the pain had subsided after the medicine was applied, he couldn’t fall asleep. He stared at the straw-woven ceiling for half the night before finally dozing off just before dawn.

Around the hour of Chen, a guard entered carrying a copper basin of hot water and respectfully said, “The young master ordered me to assist Prime Minister Liu with his morning wash.”

Liu Qi looked at the floor. The bedding laid out the night before had already been tidied, and the boy was nowhere to be seen.

He sat up and shifted his injured leg. A sharp pain struck, forcing a cold hiss from his lips.

The guard, wringing a towel, turned back at the sound. “Prime Minister Liu, please don’t move. Before he left, the young master instructed you to stay in bed and rest. You must not walk around.”

Liu Qi sat back down and asked, “Where is your young master?”

The guard replied, “He left early this morning.”

Liu Qi didn’t press further. After washing up, he handed the towel back and casually remarked, “From your accent, you must be from Shu.”

The guard answered, “My family is from Zizhou. I enlisted six years ago and have been stationed in Yazhou ever since.”

Liu Qi smiled. “You’re a soldier of Great Ye, yet you’ve become a trusted aide of the King of Gongbu. You must be exceptional.”

The guard stiffened, his expression slightly tense.

Liu Qi pretended not to notice and asked again, “Have you been to Nazang?”

The guard nodded dully. “I’ve followed the young master there a few times.”

“From Yazhou into Nazang’s borders, aside from crossing Qionglai Mountain, is there any shortcut?”

“There is one...”

“Sun Mingwu!” Ulusuntu appeared in the doorway at some unknown moment, a freshly shot rabbit in one hand and a crossbow slung over his right shoulder. His tone was clearly displeased. “Out!”

The guard named Sun Mingwu quickly left with the copper basin. Ulusuntu dropped the bow and rabbit at the door, walked up to Liu Qi with a dark expression, and asked, “Why are you asking about a shortcut to Nazang?”

Liu Qi replied warmly, “I was bored and just making small talk.”

“You lied to me again!” The boy rarely lost his temper, but now he was angry. “You promised me last night you wouldn’t lie anymore!”

Outside the door, the two guards couldn’t help but laugh quietly.

Liu Qi lowered his gaze and said nothing.

Though Ulusuntu was angry, he still knelt down to change Liu Qi’s dressing. His movements lacked the gentleness of the previous night, openly expressing his displeasure and resentment. Only when Liu Qi groaned in pain did he finally ease up.

“This medicine is excellent for external wounds. Your injury is already healing. As long as you change the dressing on time, it’ll scab over in two days.” After finishing, Ulusuntu added, “Just behave. Don’t try to move around these two days. If you need anything, just tell me.”

Liu Qi said, “Then may I trouble you to remove these shackles?”

Ulusuntu hesitated. “I... the key is with my father.”

Seeing the slight disappointment in Liu Qi’s expression, the boy quickly added, “You can’t walk now anyway. Even if the chains are gone, you can’t escape. It’s better to just rest and recover. Once you’re healed, I’ll find a way to unlock them.”

After noon, the weather changed abruptly. Cold winds swept through the area, carrying the biting scent of new snow from Qionglai Mountain.

Injured and immobile, Liu Qi had no choice but to stay indoors all day. Ulusuntu somehow dug up a collection of strange tales to keep him entertained and brought in several baskets of charcoal, making the room warm and cozy.

On the table was a pot of hot tea, along with a dish of hickory nuts and a dish of crispy peanuts. The tea wasn’t the finest Emei Snow Sprout, but in such circumstances, a warm cup of tea was more comforting than a few slices of venison.

Ulusuntu frequently came in and out of the room, but he rarely spoke to Liu Qi. Liu Qi was engrossed in the strange tales and paid him little mind. It wasn’t until the light in the room dimmed and Ulusuntu brought in a lamp that Liu Qi finally set down the yellowed book and looked up. “What time is it?”

Ulusuntu placed the oil lamp on the table and replied indifferently, “Just past You hour.”

Liu Qi couldn’t help but laugh.

Ulusuntu frowned. “What are you laughing at?”

Liu Qi said, “I just read an amusing story. Thinking back on it now still makes me laugh. Young master, is laughter forbidden in this place?”

Ulusuntu knew he was being teased and wanted to argue back, but when he opened his mouth, he couldn’t think of a retort. Left speechless, he could only suffer in silence.

Liu Qi recalled how this young man had carried himself like a proper noble during their days in Chengdu: courteous, well-mannered, lively, and talkative. Even when he lost control from drinking, he had pulled himself back in time.

But now, having returned to his true identity, he seemed awkward and restrained, always greeting Liu Qi with a sour expression and showing irritation in his every glance.

Liu Qi calmly poured a cup of hot tea and sipped slowly. The iron chain around his wrist was heavy, clanking as it moved. His fair skin had been rubbed raw and red, making the injury quite noticeable.

Ulusuntu’s gaze lingered on that spot for a long time without blinking.

After a while, Liu Qi set down the teacup and said warmly, “I’ve stayed in here the whole day. It’s been rather dull. Since it’s not yet fully dark, might I ask the young master to allow me a short walk for some fresh air?”

Ulusuntu snorted. “Weren’t those strange stories in the book so entertaining? What’s so dull about them?”

Liu Qi casually teased, “Your sarcastic tone sounds rather like Yun Shiqing’s.”

Ulusuntu’s face changed instantly. “Why bring up your old flame out of nowhere? He’s probably already been cut down by my father’s sword, and yet you’re still thinking of him.”

Liu Qi was stunned by the outburst and quickly retorted, “There’s nothing between us. He was never my old flame.”

Ulusuntu clearly didn’t believe it and sneered, “If you’re not afraid your wound will rot, then go ahead and take a walk.”

With that, he stormed out in a fit of pique.

After dinner, the wind grew fiercer. It seemed a heavy snowfall would arrive during the night.

Just at dusk, Ulusuntu received a message tied to an arrow. The note bore only a single peacock feather. He examined it briefly, then hurriedly left the village with several guards.

Roughly half an hour later, the sound of hoofbeats approached from the distance. Liu Qi pushed open the window and, using the faint light from the courtyard, saw that Ulusuntu had returned.

Ulusuntu dismounted and entered the small fenced courtyard. Two guards stepped forward to greet him.

“Young master, why have you come back? Why are you alone?”

Ulusuntu kept walking toward Liu Qi’s room without pausing. “I forgot something.”

The guards said nothing more and stood quietly outside the door.

Liu Qi remained seated on the bed, motionless. Ulusuntu entered the room and came straight toward him.

Liu Qi smiled. “There’s nothing valuable here, just a bed, a table, a chair, and a wardrobe. Perhaps the young master remembered wrong?”

Ulusuntu glanced at Liu Qi’s injured foot, then suddenly grabbed the chain on his wrist and yanked hard. Caught off guard, Liu Qi was pulled forward.

The two were now mere inches apart, their breaths mingling.

Before Liu Qi could struggle free, Ulusuntu said calmly, “What I came for is you.”

Liu Qi was stunned. He raised his head sharply to look at the young man before him.

The guards outside flushed red upon hearing those words.

Seeing that Liu Qi didn’t resist, Ulusuntu gave a slight smile. “Minister Liu, come with me.”

The guards in the courtyard had all noticed their young master’s affection for Liu Qi. What surprised them was that he had returned just for him. One of them tried to advise, “His Majesty ordered that Prime Minister Liu not be allowed to take a single step out of the village. Please don’t defy the king’s command, young master.”

Ulusuntu turned to that man, his tone cold. “What if I insist on taking him away?”

His gaze was sharp, his posture unyielding. Every word carried a sense of absolute authority.

The guards rarely saw their young master lose his temper and were momentarily speechless, not daring to say more.

Still unsure of what was happening, Liu Qi found the boy suddenly stepping closer. One arm wrapped around his waist, the other slipped behind his knees, lifting him off the ground.

Liu Qi instinctively clutched his arm, then relaxed his grip a moment later.

Ulusuntu carried him out of the clay house and gently placed him at the gate. Then he nimbly mounted his horse and extended a hand to Liu Qi, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Minister, come up.”

Liu Qi raised his arm indifferently and let Ulusuntu pull him up.

His legs were still shackled, and the jostling had aggravated his injury. Riding was difficult, so he sat sideways in front of Ulusuntu.

As soon as he was seated, Ulusuntu’s hand slid past his waist to take hold of the reins. “Minister, hold on tight.”

Horse and riders disappeared into the howling wind and darkness. Only when they entered a dense forest did Liu Qi speak in a low voice. “Unlock the chains.”

Ulusuntu said teasingly, “Minister, you’re a prisoner now. Shouldn’t you be a little more humble and beg me?”

Liu Qi elbowed him, only to be caught in a firm hold. Angry, he struck back in earnest. In one swift motion, he looped the iron chain around Ulusuntu’s neck and yanked hard. “Yun Shiqing, have you had enough of this game?”

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