Prologue

A Chance Encounter

Many years later, people still hesitated to turn to the page of history that recorded the year of Yongkang 28.

That year, the old capital of Bianjing was captured by the Qi people. It was a clear and sunny autumn day. A solitary ginkgo leaf, half-yellowed, detached itself from its branch, sailed through the nine-layered imperial palace, past yellow tiles and glazed roofs, and finally landed softly in a pool of blood.

The emperor and the royal family were all captured, and the news spread far and wide with the fleeing refugees.

A decade-long dream shattered, the old country was devastated. People wept and lamented, feeling lost and homeless.

The world was in chaos, and the Yut Dynasty hung by a thread. Fortunately, a royal prince survived and escaped south with his loyal ministers.

If the new emperor died, the dynasty would fall. If he ascended the throne, the dynasty would have a chance.

The Qi people searched high and low, relentlessly pursuing the new emperor. Loyal ministers and ordinary people of the Yut Dynasty were all helping the new emperor escape south. A battle for the survival of the dynasty was unfolding on this land...

Lidufu was a necessary pass on the southward journey. Beyond this place, it merged into the Yangtze River and flowed downstream to Jinling. Both the pursuers and the escorts knew that Lidufu was the final battleground to encircle King Ling’an.

A city with only one exit, an almost impossible task. In the darkness, there were always those who would support a crumbling building and turn the tide, knowing it was impossible but doing it anyway.

From high-ranking officials to common people, everyone could be a part of the plan, and the battlefield was everywhere. Spies and intelligence became the key to victory in this struggle.

In a chaotic world, everyone wore a mask. To reveal that mask was to become that mask.

A heavy snowfall blanketed the land. Every household had their doors and windows tightly shut. Not a single pedestrian could be seen on the road to the ferry. The snow was quiet, with only a few scattered footprints extending into the distance.

“Stop!”

The sudden chase broke the silence. A ragged girl, clutching a bundle, ran desperately forward, followed by several burly servants.

One of the servants pulled a slingshot, and a stone flew through the air, hitting the girl’s leg. She stumbled and fell, her loose hair scattering over her shoulders.

Nan Yi tried to get up and run, but a whip lashed down on her back, making it impossible for her to stand. She grimaced in pain and fell forward. The bundle in her arms scattered, revealing gold and silver ornaments tangled together.

A stout middle-aged man panted as he approached, gathered the bundle on the ground into his arms, and began to curse.

“Little thief, you dare to steal from my shop!” The merchant slapped Nan Yi across the face, then his eyes fell upon the jade bracelet on her right wrist. Without a second thought, he reached out to take it. “You stole my wife’s jewelry too! Give it here!”

Nan Yi panicked and held onto her wrist.

“This is mine!”

“Don’t lie! How could a peasant like you have such a bracelet?”

Nan Yi struggled with all her might, refusing to let go of the bracelet. After several attempts, the merchant couldn’t pry it off and called for his servants.

“Break her hand!”

The servants, all strong and burly men, swarmed Nan Yi. One of them kicked her hard in the stomach, causing her to curl up on the ground. Another seized her right hand, trying to force the bracelet off. She struggled, her knuckles white, refusing to yield.

A foot stepped hard on the back of her hand, and then twisted. The cold, sharp pain and the humiliation brought tears to Nan Yi’s eyes, but she gritted her teeth and held on.

“This is really mine…”

Why didn’t anyone believe her? She had a good past. The image of a young man’s smiling face appeared in her mind.

On a sunset-drenched field, a young man in white robes had held her hand and placed a jade bracelet on her wrist.

“Live well. Wait for me to come back,” he had said.

That was the day before Zhang Yuehui went to war. He had exchanged most of his family’s fortune for this bracelet and left it with her as a token. Although they had never exchanged vows, Nan Yi firmly believed that he would marry her when he returned. But year after year passed, and she had yet to wait for her beloved to return.

In the intervening years, her thatched hut had been razed by the cruel officials, leaving her homeless and wandering the streets. Determined to find her beloved, she set off towards the frontlines with her few remaining possessions. Life was harsh, and as a woman, she could only survive by stealing, deceiving, or begging.

The jade bracelet was her only connection to him in this vast world, and she couldn’t lose it.

Seeing that his servants couldn’t take the bracelet from her, the merchant, more concerned about his bruised ego than the bracelet’s rightful owner, ordered, “Hang her up and beat her! She needs to learn a lesson!”

Nan Yi was hung from a bare branch, her thin frame and tattered clothing making her look like a leaf about to be blown away.

With each strike of the whip, snow shook from the branches above. A bloody welt appeared on Nan Yi’s back, and she cried out in pain. Tears streamed down her face, but even with her voice breaking, she refused to yield.

“The bracelet... isn’t stolen...”

Suddenly, a terrified shout echoed through the wind.

“Qi soldiers are coming!”

The merchant, afraid of the Qi soldiers, dropped the whip and fled with his servants, leaving Nan Yi hanging from the tree.

Though she had been spared by the merchant, Nan Yi felt no relief. She knew that falling into the hands of the Qi soldiers would be even worse. Struggling, she tried to break the branch she was tied to.

The sound of approaching footsteps grew louder. It was a patrol of ten or so Qi soldiers.

With a snap, the branch broke, and Nan Yi crashed to the ground. Enduring the pain, she tried to bite through the ropes binding her wrists and stumbled to her feet.

But with no one to help her and every door shut tight, where could she go?

“Well, well, it’s a girl,” one of the Qi soldiers said, his eyes filled with lust. These burly men were known for their brutality, and they saw Nan Yi as nothing more than a plaything. They taunted her, giving her just enough room to escape, only to cut her off.

Desperate, Nan Yi ran until she bumped into one of the soldiers.

“Come here, pretty girl. Let me show you a good time,” the soldier grinned.

Nan Yi struggled, her heart pounding. She grabbed a stone and, without thinking, struck the soldier on the head. He staggered back and collapsed, blood pouring from the wound.

Taking advantage of the distraction, she ran towards the river. The Qi River flowed from the Tiger Kneeling Mountains, surrounded by hills on both sides.

As dusk approached, the sky was dark and gloomy, and the river seemed to stretch out endlessly.

Nan Yi reached the riverbank and saw a lone figure sitting by the water. A man in a straw hat was fishing, his rod held still.

Desperate, Nan Yi ran to him and begged, “Sir, please save me!”

The man didn’t look up. He simply stared at his float, waiting for a bite.