The autumn rains were always sudden,
descending without warning.
Song Qingchao had arrived in Chang'an.
She lifted the carriage curtain and glanced outside. "I won't accompany you inside, You'an."
It was now autumn of the fourth year.
Bai You'an and Song Qingchao were not yet married.
He insisted on informing his parents, observing the formal engagement, and proceeding with a proper wedding.
They were betrothed as children, a formality that could have been skipped.
But Bai You'an insisted on the traditional path.
Song Qingchao acquiesced to his wishes.
It would mean more hardship for Bai You'an and the forests of Ling Shigu.
Their return was prompted by an imperial decree.
The Emperor wished to reward them for their service guarding the northern frontier.
However, they both knew this was a banquet of horns.
Their true purpose for returning was to find their foster father.
They had a premonition that their foster father was within the imperial palace.
If their guess was correct, the long-absent hostage would also be there.
To be safe, they decided to act separately.
She would return to Qingfeng Stockade.
Bai You'an would enter the palace.
Indeed, the situation was as Song Qingchao had anticipated.
The entire imperial palace had been seized.
This news was brought back by General Zhuang Danran.
Song Qingchao sat in the stockade, her expression grave.
"General Zhuang, how many imperial guards are there?"
"Twenty thousand. I have sealed off Chang'an. Not a single fly can get in. However, I cannot access the palace. All the soldiers inside have been replaced."
Song Qingchao nodded, acknowledging the information.
She had not brought many men back with her.
Since the new year, she had gradually dispatched her elite troops towards Chang'an. Now, five thousand had arrived.
Coupled with the original five thousand in Qingfeng Stockade, that made ten thousand in total.
"Approximately how many people are inside?"
"Thirty thousand."
Song Qingchao nodded. "It seems the odds are fifty-fifty."
But Zhuang Danran shook his head in disagreement. "Miss, they have hostages. Our chances are only thirty percent."
Song Qingchao also shook her head. "The fifty-fifty I mentioned already accounts for the hostages."
Her eyes gleamed. "My subordinates are all elites, wolves that can fight three enemies at once, not lambs raised in the imperial city who have never seen blood."
Zhuang Danran considered her words and agreed.
He had to admit that no matter how well-trained his soldiers were, they couldn't compare to the veteran soldiers Song Qingchao had brought back.
They had seen blood and taken lives.
After Zhuang Danran left,
Song Qingchao met her young disciple, Zhuang Fifteen.
She had sent him to cultivate flowers to temper his character.
The day the flowers bloomed, she had arranged for the spear technique manuals to be sent to him.
Young Fifteen was no longer as impetuous.
His face was etched with determination, his spear techniques flowing like water.
Yet, he still blushed whenever he sought her out for news of Ji Yanzhuo.
Finally, Song Qingchao told him that after the matters in Chang'an were settled, she would let him go to the northern frontier to broaden his horizons.
Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion.
The autumn rains were truly abundant.
The mountain paths were muddy, but with careful observation, one could see people descending the mountain with hurried steps.
Song Qingchao was among them.
For some reason, the sky was particularly overcast that day.
After descending the mountain, Song Qingchao entered the city as planned.
Zhuang Danran was now the guard of Chang'an.
Her progress was not yet impeded at the city gates.
In truth, Song Qingchao's perspective had shifted during her journey back from the northern frontier.
If she had wanted to reach Chang'an quickly, fifteen days would have been enough.
Even if exiled, the journey on foot would only take two months.
Yet, she had taken nine months.
Along the way, she had seen everything.
Various hardships had shown her that the current imperial family was failing.
The people suffered greatly.
Therefore, her resolve was firm this time.
She was fighting for the people, not for personal vengeance.
Her thoughts were clear.
Furthermore, according to her intelligence, even the Grand Princess had been imprisoned.
This indicated that the reign of the Li clan might be over.
She had no reason to hold back.
Upon entering the city,
it seemed the citizens of Chang'an all knew what was about to happen.
Every household's doors and windows were tightly shut.
They cared not who occupied the throne, only who could fill their stomachs.
Song Qingchao successfully rendezvoused with Bai You'an.
Bai You'an reported that he had rescued the Grand Princess, and Mu Mu was currently with her.
This eased her mind regarding that matter.
With Mu Mu present, Yan Zhu's emotional state might improve.
"Have you found foster father?"
Bai You'an shook his head. "He has yet to appear."
They had been surrounding the palace for two hours, and there was no movement from within.
Song Qingchao stared at the closed palace gates. "You'an, if I kill him, will you hate me?"
"No."
"That is good."
Song Qingchao made her decision and ordered the army to commence the assault.
Fifteen, as the vanguard, remained steady.
Wolves are fierce and direct in their aims.
They quickly breached the defenses.
As she had said, the soldiers in Chang'an were like sheep, all useless drunkards, incapable of fighting.
They were practically begging for mercy.
Song Qingchao moved forward, sword in hand, shouting with every step, "Those who surrender will not be killed!"
Yet, she showed no mercy in taking the heads of those who resisted.
Blood soon soaked through her armor.
She and Bai You'an fought their way to the Xuanzheng Hall.
Upon opening the doors, they were met with utter disarray.
There wasn't a single maid or eunuch present.
Only an old man, clad in a dragon robe, sat there, like a wilting ancient tree.
Song Qingchao knew this was not the Emperor.
"An'er, you've finally arrived."
Bai You'an's brow furrowed. "Foster Father, I trust you are well."
Song Qingchao did not know what sentiment lay behind Bai You'an's words.
But she did not interject.
"Hahaha, of course, my child, anything I cultivate is of the highest quality."
Foster Father rose and began to descend.
Song Qingchao watched him cautiously.
"What is it, An'er? Are you so wary of Foster Father now?"
Bai You'an's lips moved, and he finally shielded Song Qingchao behind him.
"Our business is between us. Do not involve others."
Foster Father merely chuckled.
"It seems the only mistake I made was with this young lady. So be it, so be it."
He sighed as if lamenting. "Decades of planning, ruined by you. Don't you feel any lingering unwillingness?"
Bai You'an questioned him. "Foster Father, why..."
"Why?"
Foster Father turned and stared at the dragon throne. "Why frame the Bai and Song families? Why collude with foreign powers?"
He laughed heartily, then seemed to go mad as he faced Bai You'an.
"Because! This imperial throne, he seized it like this!"
His voice grew more frantic as he spoke.
"I merely returned his own methods to him. What did I do wrong!"
"You are terribly wrong!"
"Your mistake was abandoning the myriad people for your own selfish gain!"
Bai You'an shouted back. "Have you never seen starving people?"
"When the floodwaters breached the dam, and you indulged yourself with the disaster relief funds, did you ever consider how many lives you would cost?"
"During the plague, you colluded with the Chang family to leave the city, spreading the epidemic to surrounding counties."
"There are so many more! Have you ever considered any of them!"
"So what!" Foster Father retorted, jabbing his own chest. "Who cares about me! If the world wrongs me, I will wrong the world!"
Bai You'an looked at his foster father with disappointment.
"Foster Father, that saying isn't used like that."
He lowered his head. "I only wish to ask you one thing. All these years, did you ever consider me your son?"
Foster Father stopped laughing, contemplating for a moment.
Then, he strode towards Bai You'an.
"Of course, my An'er..."
"Ah!! You..."
Foster Father looked in disbelief at the sword protruding from his chest. Then, he fell to the ground, seemingly incredulous.
"An'er... An'er..."
Bai You'an did not look up, merely murmuring, "Foster Father, even now, you still intend to use me..."
Song Qingchao moved to take his hand, but unexpectedly found a dagger plunged into his abdomen.
"You'an!"