Chapter 3

The Bone of a Loyal General

Pang Yu pulled Nan Yi behind him, and as he held her sleeve, he subtly placed the silk letter into her hand before stepping forward to meet Xie Queshan’s cold gaze.

The two stared at each other in silence, emotions from years past surging between them.

But Nan Yi did not notice the strange tension in the air. She only felt her knees weaken, certain that there was no escaping this situation.

In a flash, Nan Yi swiftly adjusted her position and, before Pang Yu could speak, she ran forward and fell to her knees with a loud thud in front of Xie Queshan.

“Master, I was wrong, I shouldn’t have stolen your pouch—” Nan Yi handed over the pouch and the crumpled silk letter to Xie Queshan.

Xie Queshan looked at her with mild interest.

Nan Yi, steeling herself, pointed toward Pang Yu. “This man, his name is Pang Yu. He is from the Imperial Guard, and he knows where Prince Ling’an is hiding!”

Her clear voice rang out, and everyone present froze. They had expected to catch a petty thief, but instead, they had stumbled upon a much bigger fish.

Pang Yu’s face showed disbelief, quickly followed by an expression of rage.

“You—!”

Nan Yi looked at Xie Queshan with pleading eyes. “Master, I just want to survive. I don’t want to die here with him. I’ve provided you with such an important lead—doesn’t that count as redeeming myself? Please, spare my life!”

Xie Queshan lowered his gaze and casually glanced at Nan Yi, then his eyes shifted back to Pang Yu, and he formally greeted him, “Pang Zixu, it’s been a long time.”

Zixu was Pang Yu’s courtesy name, one that friends, family, and teachers would use, but hearing it from Xie Queshan felt particularly jarring.

Six years ago, after Pang Yu betrayed the Qi army, he swore to end Xie Queshan’s life with his own hands, but secretly, he also hoped he would never have to see him again.

Until today, when their paths crossed once more.

Pang Yu gritted his teeth, “I swore that if I ever saw you again, either you would die, or I would.”

Xie Queshan smiled. “Then what do you think will happen today?”

Pang Yu said nothing more and drew his sword, charging into battle.

Before Xie Queshan could move, the Qi soldiers surged forward, surrounding Pang Yu.

Every strike from Pang Yu was filled with the resolve to either kill or be killed, and for a time, no one could get close to him. But such a self-destructive attack couldn’t last long, especially with his injuries, and soon he began to tire.

He swung his sword at Xie Queshan, but it was easily deflected by He Ping, who used the scabbard of his own sword. Pang Yu staggered, and one of the Qi soldiers behind him swiftly slashed his tendons, forcing him to kneel.

The Qi soldiers immediately surrounded him, and Pang Yu, exhausted, had no strength left to fight.

Xie Queshan stepped in front of him, lifting his outer robe and examining his chest wound.

“If I had known the person in the mountains was you that day, I would have aimed the arrow differently—so that you would have enough strength left to kill me. Unfortunately, most confrontations in this world are unfair. Before they even start, the strong and the weak are already decided.”

“Xie Queshan, stop talking and just kill me!”

Xie Queshan shook his head. “Zixu, we had years of friendship when we were younger. I don’t want to kill you. Tell me where Prince Ling’an is hiding, and I’ll spare your life.”

“Go to hell! You traitor, betrayer of your country, you don’t deserve a good death!”

“In this world, everyone is just trying to survive. Why sacrifice your life for Xu Zhou’s? It’s not worth it.”

Pang Yu, kneeling with his back straight, gave Xie Queshan a look of disgust, then turned his gaze to Nan Yi, gritting his teeth. “Some people are willing to cling to their own lives, but I am not.”

Nan Yi shuddered, still not daring to raise her head. She could feel the sorrow, disgust, and resolve in his gaze, and she knew those words were meant for her. She lowered her head in guilt and moved behind a withered tree, trying to distance herself from the conflict.

At that moment, He Sha arrived, escorting the innkeeper and several workers, all bound and trembling.

“A good performance would not be complete without an audience,” He Sha said. “It seems they’ve been taking care of the injured General Pang here these past few days, so I’ve brought them along.”

Pang Yu’s eyes were bloodshot with rage. He wanted nothing more than to kill Xie Queshan and He Sha with his gaze alone.

The innkeeper and his workers were tied up and shaking in fear.

Xie Queshan crouched down in front of Pang Yu, looking at him calmly. “Zixu, the plan to assist in Prince Ling’an’s escape from Lidu has been leaked. Xu Zhou is already in our grasp, whether captured today or tomorrow. If you tell me where he is hiding in the mountains, the credit will be yours. High rank and riches—I will promise you all of that.”

“Spit!”

“These people’s lives depend entirely on your decision. Take your time to think it over. If you remember, tell me. You have one incense stick’s worth of time. One person dies with the passing of the incense, and there are eight people in this inn.”

Pang Yu howled at Xie Queshan, “Xie Queshan, you beast!”

At that moment, the innkeeper suddenly shouted at Pang Yu, “General Pang! We common folk can die without fear, don’t worry about our lives!”

The Qi army’s commander, He Sha, visibly annoyed, drew his knife and stabbed it straight into the innkeeper’s abdomen.

“Dammit, stop talking so much.”

The sound of the blade slicing through flesh wasn’t loud, but Nan Yi heard it clearly. She almost cried out, quickly covering her mouth.

He Sha pulled the knife out, and the innkeeper crumpled to the ground, dying with his eyes wide open.

Xie Queshan said nothing, but glanced at the incense burner. He Sha followed his gaze, noticing the incense hadn’t burned out yet. He turned the blade in his hand, slicing through the incense stick with a swift motion.

“Ah, it’s out,” He Sha raised an eyebrow and glanced at Xie Queshan.

“Zixu, you see? General He Sha lacks patience.”

Pang Yu looked at the dead innkeeper, his body trembling violently. A beast-like scream of pain escaped his throat.

The Qi soldiers moved forward and replaced the incense in the burner. Before they could even place it in, He Sha raised his foot and crushed it, then with a swift motion of the blade, killed another inn worker.

Blood splattered across Xie Queshan and Pang Yu.

Xie Queshan calmly looked at Pang Yu. “Zixu, do you want more people to die?”

Pang Yu suddenly laughed maniacally, his tears mixing with the blood on his face. A mighty man, now with tears in his eyes.

“Prince Ling’an, he’s not just a royal prince, but a banner that the people look up to. If he can ascend to the throne, the leaderless realm will reunite under one banner, and the great kingdom will once again stand tall in the center of the world. To protect this banner, what is death to me?! One day, the emperor will rise again, bringing his people, and drive you Qi soldiers out of Bianjing!”

Pang Yu stood with his back straight, even though he knew no one here cared whether he stood or kneeled to die. His words rang out clearly, though he knew they would soon be lost in the snow-covered wilderness.

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

Pang Yu laughed again, this time more calmly. “Your Majesty, I go ahead.”

Suddenly, an astonishing strength erupted from Pang Yu’s exhausted body. Even three Qi soldiers couldn’t hold him back. He broke free from their grasp and lunged forward, reaching for Xie Queshan’s sword. The surrounding Qi soldiers swiftly drew their swords to protect Xie Queshan, instinctively aiming their blades at Pang Yu.

Xie Queshan shouted, “Stop!” but it was already too late.

“Heaven bless our Great Yu!”

Pang Yu cried out, then crashed into the blades of the Qi soldiers. The cold steel cut through his arteries, and hot blood spilled onto the snow, staining his clothes. In an instant, he collapsed.

It was like a bubble floating to the surface of the water, popping with a quiet sound, disappearing in an instant.

Xie Queshan lost his composure and pushed the Qi soldiers aside, rushing to check Pang Yu’s pulse at his neck.

His pulse was fading at an alarming speed.

With his last ounce of strength, Pang Yu grabbed Xie Queshan’s sleeve. He had completed his duty, sacrificing himself gallantly, and now his eyes could rest. His final gaze in this world, filled with sadness and confusion, was directed at his former close friend.

“Xie Chao’en… I… never betrayed… our youthful oath.”

“Chao’en” was the name he had taken after leaving his homeland, and it was his true name. It had been many years since anyone had called him by it.

Was he referring to the oath of life and death between brothers, or the oath they made in their youth, to protect each other?

It would never be known.