The next stop was at an open, flat pass. A light wind blew, swaying the sun-bleached grass, and the sun beat down noticeably. The carriages halted. The soldiers began to water and feed the horses. The maid served lunch and then helped her mistress step out to stretch a little after the long journey.
Yunsheng sat off to the side. Against his own will, his gaze returned to Jihua time and time again. She carefully surveyed the surroundings, wrapping herself in her cloak, and spoke to her maid in a barely audible voice.
Footsteps sounded nearby. It was Houwei, his face still grave. He crouched down, remained silent for a while, and then spoke, continuing to stare at the ground in front of him.
"I see how you look at her, and..." the man hesitated, took a deep breath, and finally shifted his gaze to his friend. "If you act recklessly, it will destroy you both."
Yunsheng felt something squeeze painfully in his chest. He knew Houwei was saying this out of care. And despite his internal resistance, he perfectly understood that his friend was right.
"I understand," the man answered quietly. "I will try to be careful."
The gloomy expression never left Houwei's face; another emotion flashed in his eyes, but, not letting it surface, he hastily looked away, stood up silently, and went to check the guard posts.
The camp was quickly set up for the night. By noon tomorrow, they would reach the Governor-General's residence, and everything would be over.
That night, the wind grew noticeably colder, and the fire burned weaker than before. Yunsheng sat by the fire, lost in thought. It seemed that in all this life, he had never been so burdened with thoughts as in these past few days.
The last night. Tomorrow she would become a stranger's wife, and her life would definitively turn toward a place where there would be no room for them. Everything inside grew heavy at the thought. He had to stop the wedding. On one hand, caution held him back; on the other, the realization: if he didn't risk it now, he would regret it for the rest of this life.
His gaze fell on the carriage again. He knew she was awake. The man stood up, took a hesitant step forward... and stopped.
Meanwhile, Jihua was also awake—lying down, staring into the darkness.
Sleep eluded her. The commander's face appeared before her eyes again and again, his calm voice echoed in her mind, she remembered his stolen glances, which he thought went unnoticed by her.
Why does he seem so familiar to me? And why does everything inside me respond to him like this?
She dreaded tomorrow; she was terrified of her new life. She was afraid of becoming a wife without ever fully understanding what was actually happening in her own heart. This was the last night she could still just be herself and belong only to herself. And the last night he was near. The girl slowly gripped the fabric of her blanket until her knuckles turned white, praying that this night would never end.
The man sat by the fire until the flames had almost died out. He never approached. She never came out. They did not meet that night, and for both of them, those hours spent apart became the heaviest and most memorable.
Dawn arrived sooner than they would have liked. The sky was just beginning to lighten, taking on cold hues, as the soldiers began to wake.
Yunsheng stood by the dead fire, deliberately not looking toward the carriage until he heard the creak of the opening door. The girl's expression was deceptively calm until their eyes met. It was just one brief, cautious moment, holding a mutual understanding of the inevitable.
Houwei watched them from the side. He saw the exchange of glances. His face remained impassive, but inside, everything clenched heavily and painfully. He turned away, his jaw set tight.
The journey took less time than expected. Soon, the Governor-General's residence emerged from around a bend.
The carriages slowly approached the main gates. The heavy doors swung open. The escort soldiers lined up along the road. The residence's inner servants were already waiting for them on the threshold. The lady was helped out of the carriage. She stepped onto the ground. Her movements were deliberately slow—she was delaying this moment as much as she could, the moment that would definitively sever her from her past life. For Jihua, these walls instantly transformed into the outline of a cage. Against the backdrop of these imposing gray stones and red gates, she looked unbearably fragile.
Yunsheng stood motionless, having no right to approach her. As she walked past, he didn't dare look at her one last time. She was led away. The man watched her go without blinking, until her slender figure completely dissolved among the following servants and the closing doors.
"They are waiting for you," Houwei whispered as he approached. The man nodded silently. He had to report the completion of the mission to the Governor-General.
Entering the reception hall, he stepped forward and dropped to one knee.
"Escort Commander Yunsheng has arrived to report," he said without raising his head.
The Governor-General sat on a massive ebony chair with a high carved back. He wore a heavy silk robe of deep blue, with a silver-embroidered badge gleaming on his chest. His face was like a wax mask. Thin lips framed his mustache, and his eyes watched haughtily and appraisingly.
"Report."
The general listened silently, without any apparent interest. When the report was finished, silence hung in the air.
"Have you served long?" he finally asked.
"Eleven years."
"Then you are accustomed to obeying."
"That is correct, my lord."
The general narrowed his eyes slightly, examining the kneeling warrior.
"Remember, Yunsheng. In this world, only usefulness is valued. People are tools. A master cherishes his sword as long as it is sharp, but will melt it down without hesitation the moment a notch appears on the blade." The man paused. "But I like you. I hope you will continue to serve just as well."
Yunsheng struggled to maintain an expression of respectful calm on his face.
"Thank you for your trust."
"You will remain at the residence. I will decide later where to assign you next."
Yunsheng bowed his head submissively.
"As you command, my lord."
The commander left the hall. Outwardly he was calm, but inside, fury and anxiety were mounting. During the audience, it was as if he had caught a glimpse of Jihua's future, and he became absolutely certain: allowing this wedding to happen would be akin to murder.