This battle saw the Western Liang army suffer more than thirty thousand casualties, and everyone within Fengya Pass was elated. This was another victory following the previous one by Prince Yun, and everyone was overjoyed.
Joy permeated the entire city. Thinking of the many Western Liang soldiers killed, many households replaced their white lanterns with red ones. At a glance, the city seemed to be engulfed in flames.
Yun Mo was even more delighted. Upon returning to his residence, he went straight to Yun Xiao's room and found her quietly reading under the lamplight.
At this moment, she had finally regained her original appearance.
After washing up, a cascade of dark hair was casually draped over her shoulders. With her delicate brows, rosy cheeks, and a perfect nose and lips, her stunningly beautiful small face was complemented by a light, flowing white silk robe.
The robe was embroidered with a few peach blossoms. The subtle pale pink hues made the white garment appear as pure as snow, exuding an ethereal elegance that blended with the light, leaving one breathless.
Yun Xiao looked up and saw her father standing by the door. She raised her eyebrows, smiled brightly, and appeared exceptionally lively.
"Father has arrived."
She rose and went to greet him, helping Yun Mo to sit. She then took a seat on the other side. Noticing his dazed expression, she curiously asked, "What is it, Father?"
As soon as she spoke, Yun Mo returned to his senses. He gazed at her and sighed softly.
"Xiao'er, you've truly grown up. You look so much like your mother. When I first met your mother, she was your age. In the blink of an eye, she's been gone for many years, yet I always feel as if she's right beside me. Whenever I'm feeling down, she'd sit by my side, smiling silently, just like she did back then – still so beautiful and captivating, while I have grown old."
Yun Xiao listened to her father's lament and reached out to hold his hand.
"You're not old, not at all. How could you be old? Father will never grow old; you'll always be young and charming," Yun Xiao praised, blinking her eyes and eagerly inquiring, "Father, tell me more about her past."
Regarding the woman who was nominally her mother, Yun Xiao could not call her 'mother' because she had never felt her love.
"Ah, she was as pretty and lovely as you are. Not the kind of stunning beauty that takes one's breath away, but rather the type that inspires the deepest desire to cherish. Despite being such a woman, she was also heroic and valiant."
Half of Yun Mo's face was bathed in the hazy light, while the other half was in shadow. However, his bright, deep eyes revealed his reminiscence of the past.
Heroic and valiant. Yun Xiao heard these words and wondered if her nominal mother, like her father, was capable of both battle and elegant society.
"Father?"
Just as Yun Xiao was about to ask further, a tall figure walked in from outside. Clad in a flowing blue robe, he was as gentle and refined as jade, entering gracefully. Yun Xiao looked up and saw it was her elder brother, Yun Zhen. She quickly rose and greeted him with a smile.
"Brother."
"Xiao'er," Yun Zhen smiled gently and softly. A subtle gleam flickered within his eyes, as clear as water, mingled with a hint of astonishment.
While Xiao'er was still the same Xiao'er, only he knew that she was not the same Xiao'er as before. She was a soul from another world.
Possessing a mind as wise as ice and snow, she was like a snow lotus on the Heavenly Mountain, blooming with the most fragrant flowers.
At this moment, Yun Mo also regained his senses.
"Zhen'er has also come."
"Yes, I came to see Xiao'er," Yun Zhen replied, sitting down in Yun Xiao's previous position. He skillfully brewed tea and served it, handing a cup to each person. He then stood quietly to the side, observing the family. Truly, the man was handsome, and the woman was delicate and beautiful, making for a pleasing sight.
Upon seeing her brother, Yun Xiao was reminded of the battle with the Western Liang forces that day. She raised an eyebrow and asked lightly,
"I heard that in today's battle, the Western Liang army retreated another thirty li."
Mentioning this, Yun Mo and Yun Zhen's faces lit up with excitement, and they chuckled simultaneously.
"Indeed! It's truly gratifying to have killed so many of the Western Liang army. This time, we have finally made the Western Liang army more cautious," Yun Mo's resonant voice declared.
In the hall, Yun Xiao was initially happy, but her mood gradually grew heavy. Over thirty thousand soldiers had perished.
These soldiers had siblings and elderly parents at home, yet because of the war, they were cruelly torn from their families, their loved ones separated. This was the most sorrowful event in the world, Yun Xiao thought with deep emotion.
War brought not happiness, but pain, and the stark cruelty of reality. However, in this place, there was no room for a shred of mercy, for it was a matter of life and death.
Soft laughter echoed in the hall. After Yun Mo and Yun Zhen departed, Yun Xiao stood at the door, gazing at the full moon in the sky. Its pale light enveloped the small courtyard. Dewdrops condensed on the branches, sparkling like luminous pearls, dazzling and brilliant.
Wanwan saw her mistress's somber expression, her earlier joy gone. Wondering what had happened, she raised an eyebrow and asked,
"What's wrong, Mistress?"
"War is truly terrifying. Over thirty thousand people... how many families will be broken apart? How many elderly mothers will weep until their eyes are blind?"
She turned and walked back into the room, sitting down serenely to drink tea. Beside her, Wanwan sighed sympathetically and spoke helplessly,
"If you don't kill them, they might still kill you. Think about the plague in Fengya Pass, how many people died. And the soldiers who sacrificed themselves on the battlefield – they were also lives."
"That's why war is so dreadful," Yun Xiao sighed. Perhaps it was because she was a doctor, focused solely on saving lives, that she had never considered taking them.
However, sometimes things are not as one wishes. If you don't kill, you'll face certain death. Like Xiao He in the palace, or those concubines, or Shangguan Yao. If you don't provoke him, he might not let you off.
"Wanwan, you sleep outside. I'll sleep in here later."
There was an east wind tonight, and she still had things to do. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Although she felt heartache for the lives lost, it did not mean she would allow others to harm her father and brother.
At this time, he should be arriving. Because every time he came, Wanwan would be struck by a sleeping acupoint.
The next day, she would be sore all over, which was why Yun Xiao had sent her away. However, this maidservant Wanwan was always stubborn and absolutely refused to leave. Tonight, her mistress was in a bad mood, and she naturally wanted to take care of her.
"Mistress, I won't sleep."
As soon as she finished the word "sleep," a figure gracefully entered from outside the door. A petal brushed past Wanwan's body, and she collapsed onto the ground with a thud.
The sound startled Liuxing and Jingyun outside the door. The two figures rushed in one after another. Moonlight streamed into the hall, revealing a tall, slender figure standing within.
His face was obscured, but his dark hair, as lustrous as silk, was lightly tied with a ribbon. The tips of his hair swayed gently, exuding an indescribable charm.
Liuxing and Jingyun leaped forward, landing beside their mistress and standing guard, their weapons held ready as they stared at the man.
"What are you here for again?"
Liuxing and Jingyun had no good feelings whatsoever towards this man.
The white figure slowly turned around. A silver mask glowed brilliantly. The eyes hidden behind the mask were as tranquil as moonlight, as still as water.
Yet, with such serene eyes, Liuxing and Jingyun felt immense pressure. A chilling aura emanated continuously from the depths of his gaze, paralyzing them with fear, daring them not to move.
Suddenly, he actually smiled, as ephemeral as drifting clouds. Liuxing and Jingyun recoiled as if they had seen a ghost, reaching out to pull their mistress back a step.
They had never heard anyone say this man could smile. He was known for being cold-blooded, bloodthirsty, and a ruthless killer. No one had ever seen him, and to see him meant only one thing: death.
Yet, this man lingered by their mistress's side again and again. What exactly did he want?