In her dream, she saw Xi Lin holding their daughter in a pavilion, smiling at her.
“Sheng Bi, come quickly. The child is hungry,” he said.
She walked forward, but as she approached, he stepped back, and by the time she reached the pavilion, they had vanished. Looking around, only a white snow-covered grassland remained.
“Autumn Water, daughter!” Reaching out, she touched a warm face, struggling to open her eyes. It was Xi Lin, standing in the snow and smiling at her.
Lin* suppressed her emotions and struck his chest. “Xi Autumn Water, you bastard! Why didn’t you wait for me?”
Urgent voices called, “Madam! Madam!”
Opening her eyes, Lin* saw a campfire and an angelically handsome face, concerned but not her husband’s. “Wang*?” she struggled to sit up, noticing a black cloak draped over her.
“You fainted from exhaustion. I suggest we find an inn tomorrow for you to rest,” Wang*, wearing a cotton robe, sat nearby in the cold winter night.
Lin* took back the cloak, forcing a painful smile with cracked lips. “No need. I can hold on. Rest a moment, then continue traveling.” She feared they wouldn’t catch up to the Rong army, dreading to find only Xi Lin’s cold corpse.
Wei Linxia’s strong will could not command her weak body. As they approached the border, they saw many refugees in tattered clothes heading north. Wang* learned that border fighting had begun, with casualties everywhere. Wei Linxia’s heart sank; a breath stuck in her chest, her face pale.
By the next morning, they reached the border. The sun broke through the cold, the air thick with a bloody smell. They dismounted, needing to find a way to see the Rong monarch. Wei Linxia expected difficulties but found the process surprisingly smooth, even entering the Rong monarch’s tent. It seemed Rong had won this battle.
The monarch looked jubilant, the table filled with wine and meat, and the tent fragrant with roasted dishes, flanked by two beautiful concubines. Wei Linxia paid her respects, and the monarch, in good spirits, offered her a chair. Wang stood behind her.
“Why have you come? I’ve already spared you. What do you want?” the Rong monarch asked.
“I came to ask how you will handle my husband. May I inquire about his fate?” Wei Linxia asked, coughing involuntarily after entering the warm tent.
