Firmament Sword

”We don’t have to make a move. Others can,” Huangfu Haoyue said with a cold laugh. ”Crystal, the owner of the Fengyue Building, just came to see me. She wants to deal with Xu Luo together...”

”Her?” The Sixth Prince raised an eyebrow and said flatly, ”Then just let her do it.”

”My thoughts exactly,” Huangfu Haoyue replied.

The two of them looked at each other and smiled.

”If you want to use others, you must be prepared for them to use you in return,” the Sixth Prince muttered softly. Then, looking at Huangfu Haoyue, he said with utmost sincerity, ”Uncle, if you help me achieve my great undertaking, I, Chongxiao, will be sure to reward you handsomely in the future!”

Huangfu Haoyue’s smile vanished. He looked at the Sixth Prince and said with a faint smile, ”I’ve felt a connection with you since you were young. I’ve always believed that among all your brothers, you are the one who most has the air of an Emperor...”

”In that case, I’ll be relying on you, Uncle!” The Sixth Prince stood up and gave Huangfu Haoyue a deep bow.

Huangfu Haoyue remained seated and nodded slightly, a strange light glinting in the depths of his eyes.

...

Mo Yun sat quietly in her room. Her face was devoid of joy or sorrow, but a look of conflict flickered in her eyes from time to time.

She gently stroked her slightly swollen belly, and for the first time, a trace of tenderness crossed her cold, resolute eyes.

This was a private villa belonging to the Champion Marquis’s Xu Family. Mo Yun had been temporarily settled here. Tomorrow was her wedding day.

The villa was elegant, with pavilions, terraces, waterside gazebos, the songs of birds, and the fragrance of flowers. It was quiet and comfortable.

An ordinary person might never set foot in such a place in their entire lifetime.

But for Mo Yun, who had grown up among the top aristocracy of Great Yan, this residence didn’t stir the slightest emotion in her.

She certainly didn’t think it was anything special. In her eyes, this place was... quite ordinary.

And that was putting it politely. Given the Mo Family’s wealth, residences of this caliber were mostly for members of the branch families and children born of concubines...

The Mo Family’s wealth could rival a nation’s. Mo Yun had lived a life of immense privilege since childhood. It was hard for ordinary people to imagine the astonishing background of this cold and ruthless Iron-Blooded Female General, who was known for her brash way of speaking on the battlefield.

But now, all of that had faded like smoke.

And the true culprit behind it all was the man she was to marry tomorrow!

And his group of brothers...

’Is what I’m doing really worth it?’ Mo Yun’s eyes were a complex mix of struggle, confusion, and unwillingness. She constantly stroked her belly as tears finally streamed down her cheeks. ’Baby, Mommy is so sorry. Mommy is not a good woman...’

Her tears fell like a broken string of pearls.

Mo Yun had trekked all the way from the Cao Kingdom to the northern reaches of the Cangqiong Kingdom for one purpose: revenge!

Who in this world doesn’t love their country? Who doesn’t love their home?

Although the Mo Family’s stance at the time had left her, at the lowest point in her life, utterly heartbroken, the upbringing she had received allowed her to immediately understand her family’s difficult position and accept their decision regarding her.

But she wanted to go home!

It’s human nature to find it hard to leave one’s homeland, let alone for a young woman like Mo Yun, who hailed from a top noble family.

That defeat in the Cao Kingdom was like a cold nightmare for Mo Yun. It had completely shattered all the confidence, pride, and dignity she had built up over the years.

The loyal soldiers who had followed her wholeheartedly had no regrets, no matter what.

’But I... I have to be responsible for them! I have to give them justice! I can’t let them die in vain, unable to have their souls return to their homeland, and be forced to bear a lifetime of infamy!’

’How could I, Mo Yun... do such a thing?’

’I must have my vengeance, I must atone for my mistakes with merit! I have to turn this situation around, achieve a monumental accomplishment, and make Great Yan retract its prejudice against me. I have to make my family accept me again!’

’I only hate myself for being so foolish. I was manipulated by a few young nobles from the Cangqiong Kingdom. They sowed discord and exploited the loyalty and passion of my subordinates, pushing my already defeated and broken army into an abyss of no return...’

Tears streamed down Mo Yun’s face as her thoughts surged like a tide, recalling the events of the past year.

’And to think I foolishly grieved for that dead subordinate for so long... It wasn’t until I came to the north of Cangqiong and saw *him* that I understood. None of it was an accident. It was all meticulously planned by someone!’

’At that moment... I wanted nothing more than to tear him limb from limb!’

’But then I thought that just killing a few of them might let me vent my anger, but it wouldn’t prove my innocence! I was originally prepared to die, hoping to throw the Cangqiong Kingdom into chaos through mutual destruction. I wanted my family and my country... to admit that I, Mo Yun... was not a traitor. I was just a soldier who had made a mistake, but whose heart was still with her homeland!’

’I wanted everyone to admit that I, and my subordinates, were true soldiers!’

’But I never expected that villain Wei Ziting to be so fickle. He agreed to cooperate with me but plotted against me in secret. Although I had considered this possibility and taken precautions, I never imagined that Wei Ziting, the son of a Prime Minister, could mobilize so many private soldiers...’

’In the bloody battle, my subordinates fell one after another, but not a single one fled. They were all protecting me with their lives. They... are the true heroes!’

’Later, Zhou Bo suggested I ask *them* for help. He said that if I failed, it would only mean death, but if I succeeded, I might even have the chance to infiltrate their inner circle and then pull off something big! That way, even if I died... it would be a glorious death, a worthy death! The news would travel back to Great Yan, and those people who thought I, Mo Yun, was a traitor could wipe their dog eyes clean and see for themselves... whether I, Mo Yun... am a traitor or not!’

’But who would have thought that the man I should have hated to the core, the man I wanted to tear limb from limb, would actually... like me... At the time, I thought the idea was simply too absurd... and laughable.’

Mo Yun’s tears fell like rain as she murmured, ”But who could have known that the world works in such speechless ways? I, Mo Yun... a woman who could be called a hero in her own right, was actually drugged with an aphrodisiac by a villain. And then... I watched helplessly as I was saved by the man with whom I share a blood feud. My innocence... was given just like that to the man I once grieved for and later hated to the bone.”

’Even so, I still wanted to kill him! But I knew that killing just him would be of little use. His influence was nowhere near that of the Eldest Prince or Xu Luo. But the Eldest Prince is a recluse, and Xu Luo is too powerful. I couldn’t kill him, nor did I dare to...’

’I could only wait, and wait. But I never expected... that what I was waiting for was the news of my pregnancy!’

’For any other woman, this news would be the greatest happiness. But for me, it was like a bolt from the blue! Why? Why would the heavens treat me this way?’

A bitter smile appeared on Mo Yun’s beautiful, tear-stained face. ’He really does like me, he loves me. I know that in my heart. But how can I accept the love of an enemy who brought me to this state? I, Mo Yun... have my own pride! Now my innocence is gone, I’ve been cast out by my family, abandoned by my country... I have nothing left. The only thing I have left is my dignity!’

’Originally, I thought I could make my decision easily. Originally, I thought I could let all this go without trouble. Originally, I thought I, Mo Yun... was just a cold-blooded Female General, incapable of emotion... But who knew that when the time came, I would find... that making this decision... is so incredibly difficult!’

’When our two nations are at war, was what they did truly wrong? Was this blood feud between us really what we intended?’

’But what’s done is done. There’s no going back to the past. Mo Yun... if you can’t make up your mind, you will regret it for the rest of your life!’

’But if you really do this... is there any meaning to it?’

Thinking of the time she had spent with Xu Jie and the others, thinking of the bond between Xu Luo and his four brothers, Mo Yun truly hesitated, and felt lost.

She didn’t know if the decision she was making was right or wrong. Nor did she know if she would regret it after she had done it.

But she knew one thing very clearly. Right now... her heart ached.

It ached terribly.

...

Early in the morning, the sky was clear and the sun shone brightly.

The Imperial Capital’s morning was enveloped in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere.

Vermilion Bird Avenue was decorated with lanterns and banners, buzzing with a cacophony of voices. The endless stream of people had transformed this normally quiet street into a bustling and lively thoroughfare.

A joyous atmosphere permeated the din.

The Champion Marquis’s Mansion was even more festively decorated.

Today was the wedding day of Xu Jie, the young master of the Champion Marquis’s Mansion!

In his room, the groom, Xu Jie, had been smiling so much his face was a little stiff. He resignedly let the people sent from the palace do his makeup and dress him.

He looked at the bright red robes he was wearing, feeling awkward no matter how he looked at them. He didn’t want to wear them, but he was told the groom had to.

It only happens once in a lifetime, and it would be inauspicious if you didn’t wear it!

”Fine, I’ll put up with it!” Xu Jie grimaced. He couldn’t help but feel annoyed as he looked at Little Fatty, who was sitting across from him, beaming and enjoying his predicament. He said with a cold laugh, ”Fourth Brother, you just remember this. You’re not married yet. Sooner or later... you will be.”

Little Fatty chuckled. ”There’s only one day in my life I can tease you, Second Brother, without any restraint. If I missed this chance, I’d be struck by lightning! So... my dear Second Brother, just endure it. Once today is over, you’ll be free!”

”Free?” Sui Yan commented from the side with a deadpan expression. ”I think he’ll be tied down, actually.”

”Hmm, your way of putting it... seems right too,” Little Fatty said, gloating. ”Second Sister-in-law is so amazing. She didn’t even let being pregnant stop her from breaking through to become a Tier One Sword Venerable. Speaking of which, Second Sister-in-law is really strict with herself!”

”She broke through to become a Tier One Sword Venerable?” Xu Luo, who was sitting to the side, felt a faint sense of unease well up in his heart for some reason.

”Yeah, you didn’t know?” Little Fatty said with an admiring expression. ”When Second Sister-in-law cultivates, she really goes all out. Compared to her, I can only admit I’m no match...”

Xu Luo’s brow furrowed slightly. After hearing Little Fatty’s words, the ominous feeling in his heart grew stronger. Out of the corner of his eye, Xu Luo glanced at Xu Jie and was surprised to discover that his Second Brother’s smile also seemed to be hiding a certain unease.

Before Xu Luo could think any further, the door was suddenly pushed open. Su Qianqian walked in with an anxious look on her face and beckoned to Xu Luo.

Xu Luo froze. ’Su Qianqian should be at Second Brother’s villa right now, keeping Mo Yun company... waiting for us to come pick up the bride!’

’Why did she suddenly run back here?’

The unease in Xu Luo’s heart finally surged forth completely. ’Could it be... something happened?’

With that thought, Xu Luo stood up, gave a nod to the others, and walked out the door. He looked at Su Qianqian and asked in a low voice, ”Why did you suddenly run back here?”

Su Qianqian had a helpless look on her face. ”Something unexpected happened!” she said softly.