"Imperial Sister."
Xu Zhi looked at Xu Yi, who was dressed in plain clothes and hammering iron by the furnace, his eyes complex.
Five years had passed since they last met. He had become much more mature and steady, but Xu Yi remained unchanged, just as she was when they parted. Time seemed to have left no trace on her.
Xu Yi ignored him, continuing to swing her hammer.
The glowing red iron transformed astonishingly under her hand.
"How dare you disrespect the royal family!"
A proud-looking man standing beside Xu Zhi stepped forward and shouted at Xu Yi, his eyes full of disdain.
"Silence!" Xu Zhi glared at the man and waved him away. He then turned to Xu Yi and said, "Imperial Sister, I am here to deliver an imperial decree from Father Emperor and Mother Empress. They are willing to welcome you back to the palace and announce your identity to the world. You will once again be the most noble eldest princess of Anguo!"
Xu Yi's decisive action in turning the tide last year had led the people of Anguo to hail her as the Goddess of War.
Upon learning of this, the Emperor of Anguo immediately thought of using Xu Yi's status to consolidate royal power, hence the idea of summoning her back. Knowing that Xu Yi and Xu Zhi had a close relationship, he specifically sent Xu Zhi to persuade her.
"Clang, clang, clang..."
Xu Zhi's only response was the sound of the hammer striking the iron.
Xu Zhi felt a hint of displeasure. Due to the influence of his maternal clan and the support of his wife's family, he was now the most popular candidate for the throne. He had not been so neglected for a long time. However, considering the benefits Xu Yi represented, he suppressed his unhappiness and continued to persuade her, "Imperial Sister, your status is noble. Why must you live in this desolate village..."
"Bang!"
Xu Yi slammed the hammer down heavily, sending sparks flying. She finally looked directly at Xu Zhi and asked, "Did you receive the letter I sent you last December?"
Xu Zhi's expression flickered, and his pupils trembled slightly with guilt. "What letter? I don't know."
"The letter stated that spies from the Northern Kingdom were visiting, intending to attack Anguo's border cities. Why did you not report this to the court?"
"Imperial Sister, you misunderstand me, I truly..."
"Xu Zhi, you know, when you lie, you can't help but glance down. After all these years, you still haven't corrected this habit."
Xu Zhi, who was accustomed to being praised, could no longer tolerate Xu Yi's aggressive questioning.
"Xu Yi!"
"Why aren't you calling me Imperial Sister anymore?" Xu Yi asked calmly.
"Xu Yi, you are always so self-righteous. Have you ever considered my position? If I had reported this to Father Emperor, I would have to bear his wrath, wouldn't that be handing ammunition to my other brothers!" Xu Zhi said with indignation.
He had indeed received Xu Yi's letter, but it lacked any other evidence. How could he convince the Emperor? Moreover, the Emperor had become increasingly foolish and decadent recently, the national treasury was in dire straits, and the kingdom could not afford the consequences of a war with another country. Therefore, he simply pretended not to know. After all, the Northern Kingdom had plundered their grain in previous years. As long as they had grain, they would not attack Anguo. Whatever they wanted, they should be given, why fight?
"You've finally said what's on your mind."
Xu Yi looked at Xu Zhi as if he were a stranger. She wondered what power it was that could transform an upright and kind person into what he was now. She remembered how they had rescued kidnapped children together, how they had stopped reckless chariots in crowded streets, and how they had saved virtuous women from the harassment of dissolute youths.
Xu Zhi had once stood on a high mountain outside the capital and said that his dream was a peaceful sea and a prosperous nation. Xu Yi still remembered those words, but the person who spoke them had forgotten.
"Imperial Sister, I am different from you. You have no interest in power, living freely and as you please. I envy your life very much. But I am responsible not only for my own safety but also for the lives of over a hundred people from my maternal clan and my wife's family. Therefore, I cannot be careless for a moment. We grew up together since childhood; you must be able to understand me, right?"
Seeing Xu Yi's indifferent expression, Xu Zhi knew it was not going well. He quickly brought up past events, hoping to rekindle Xu Yi's old affection for him.
Xu Yi glanced at him again, shook her head in disappointment. The Xu Zhi who only called her "Elder Sister" was dead. The Xu Zhi before her was merely a royal descendant who looked like him.
"You should go back. Out of consideration for our past relationship, I won't hold this against you."
Xu Yi's heart softened in the end. Because of Xu Zhi, thousands of citizens of Anguo had died. However, the fault was not solely Xu Zhi's, so Xu Yi let him go. But Xu Zhi misunderstood Xu Yi's kindness. Instead, due to her repeated rejections, he chose to completely break ties with her.
With a wave of his hand, hundreds of elite soldiers behind him immediately drew their bows and aimed their arrows at Xu Yi.
"You want to kill me?"
Xu Zhi sneered, "Xu Yi, you are guilty of insubordination, kidnapping a court official, and illegally mobilizing troops. You are punishable by death according to the law. If you are willing to go to the capital with me to confess your crimes, you can avoid the death penalty. Choose for yourself."
The Emperor had given Xu Zhi two options, and now he was giving Xu Yi two options.
Xu Yi looked at Xu Zhi, who was full of murderous intent, and couldn't help but sigh. She hadn't expected things to come to this.
"Xu Zhi, during the defense of the city, I alone repelled tens of thousands of the Northern army. Do you think this small contingent can capture me?"
Xu Yi's martial prowess had transcended mortal abilities, reaching an astonishing level.
Xu Zhi was dismissive. He had heard of Xu Yi's heroic deeds during the city's defense, but in his opinion, they were exaggerated rumors. Xu Yi was not made of steel and iron, nor did she have six arms. How could she fight against an army of millions alone without being at a disadvantage?
Therefore, until Xu Yi grabbed a sharp arrow and pressed it against his neck, he still hadn't realized what had happened.
"E-Elder Sister..."
Xu Zhi felt the chill against his neck and instinctively uttered a somewhat unfamiliar address.
"Xu Zhi, in your next life, don't be born into royalty."
"Ugh..." Xu Zhi's eyes bulged, and warm blood spilled out.
"Third Prince!"
"Save him! Save him!"
"..."
Xu Yi knew that killing Xu Zhi would anger the Emperor of Anguo. To avoid implicating the small city where she resided, Xu Yi took her meager belongings and left the blacksmith's shop, beginning a life of wandering. She traveled to the frontier deserts and snowy mountain forests. She experienced the luxury of royalty and the poverty of commoners, her footsteps covering every inch of Anguo's land.
Until one day, she heard the news of the Northern army's renewed invasion. This time, it was not the cold winter, and the Northern Kingdom was not in desperate need of grain. After repeated probes, the Northern Kingdom had finally confirmed that Anguo, known as the "Lion," was in decline and had lost its former vigor. The Northern Kingdom, having long resided in poverty, had long coveted Anguo's fertile and flat lands. This time, they decided to launch a full-scale invasion, completely swallowing Anguo, this piece of rich meat.
Anguo's response, however, made Xu Yi crush the wooden chopsticks in her hand. Before even engaging in battle with the Northern Kingdom, Anguo had voluntarily submitted a letter of surrender, offering six cities in exchange for peace.