Isolated town in northern border region

It took Tie Muyun seven whole days to travel from the northern border back to Panlong Valley.

She was in a hurry when she came, mounting her horse before dawn and only finding a place to rest after dark.

On her way back, she slowed down, as if someone had tied a stone to her heart, dragging her down.

She didn't know what she was hesitating about.

She remembered everything that happened in the northern frontier, and all she needed to do when she got back was tell Mo Shu exactly what happened.

But she just didn't want to go back so soon.

On the evening of the third day, she rested under an old locust tree by the roadside. She sat down against the trunk, took off her boots, and found two blisters on the soles of her feet.

She stared at the bubble for a long time, and suddenly an image popped into her mind.

At the gate of Youzhou City, an old man was squatting by the roadside repairing his car, while a young man in a Northern Frontier military uniform squatted beside him, handing him a wrench.

The two chatted as they worked, talking about which fabric would be cheap at next month's market and whose child had gotten first place in school.

Tie Muyun stood not far away and watched for a long time, because such a scene had never occurred in Panlong Valley before. When the people of Panlong Valley gathered together, they only discussed two things—how to survive and how to kill.

People in northern Xinjiang gather together to discuss how to live better lives.

She had never thought about the difference between the two, but now she suddenly understood.

Continuing south, nothing could be seen on the northern horizon except for the hazy silhouettes of mountains.

At noon on the seventh day, she arrived at the mouth of the valley.

She stood before that familiar crack and suddenly felt that it seemed narrower than before, as if someone had unknowingly closed it a little.

She squeezed in sideways, took a few steps, and stopped under an old pine tree.

It was an old tree that had been struck by lightning; its trunk was charred black, but new branches were sprouting from its roots.

She crouched down, reached out and touched the tender bud of the new branch, then stood up and continued walking inside.

The guards recognized her as she passed through the checkpoint at the mouth of the valley.

"Iron Captain is back?"

Tie Muyun nodded.

The man asked again.

"How's northern Xinjiang?"

Tie Muyun thought for a long time before answering.

"fine."

Then she walked straight toward Xiao Lie's thatched hut without hesitation.

Bisu was hanging towels out to dry at the door when she saw her and paused for a moment.

"Iron Girl...you're back?"

Tie Muyun stopped at the threshold and turned his head to ask a question.

"Bisu, you've been to many places with the Prince, haven't you?"

Bisu nodded.

"Yes, from the capital to the northern frontier, and then to Qingzhou, Yongzhou, Bingzhou... I've traveled to many places."

Tie Muyun remained silent for a while.

"So, which place do you think is the best?"

Bisu didn't even think about it.

"Northern Xinjiang is the best!"

"Because in northern Xinjiang, everyone has hope for the future and is thinking about how to make northern Xinjiang a better place."

Tie Muyun smiled and nodded.

"I also think Northern Xinjiang is the best!"

Tie Muyun took out the token and handed it to Bisu, then turned and walked into the thatched hut opposite.

"This humble general greets the Commander and Deputy Commander!"

Mo Shu fiddled with the bottles and jars, while Tie Gong sat opposite her.

Tie Gong was very happy to see Tie Muyun return.

"Muyun, you must be tired from your journey. Please come and sit down."

As soon as Tie Muyun sat down, Mo Shu spoke.

"Tell me, what did you see?"

Tie Muyun answered truthfully.

"The train, which does not need to be pulled by oxen or horses, is made entirely of steel and is a palace that can travel thousands of miles! Moreover, there is more than one train, and it can travel back and forth between the five continents of the northern frontier in a single day..."

In the steel mill, molten iron flowed out like a river. Zhou Xun and her subordinate only watched for a short while before the steel mill produced countless pieces of refined steel, piled up higher than a person...

"And cement! The entire official road in the northern frontier is paved with cement, making it incredibly smooth. Carriages travel on it with exceptional stability. Even the city walls and fortresses have been reinforced with cement, making them as solid as a rock!"

The most terrifying thing is artillery! It sounds like thunder, and it is mostly set up on city walls, on trains, and even pulled by horse-drawn carriages... Three hundred paces away, the projectiles are as fast as lightning and can blast a hole in a mountain...

The people lived in peace and prosperity, and even the northern barbarians on the grasslands were taught to read and write by the prince! The entire northern frontier revered the prince as a god!

Mo Shu's fingers paused for a moment.

"What about the Chu Emperor?"

"Did they really obtain the technology from northern Xinjiang?"

Tie Muyun replied.

"That's right!"

"Zhou Xun said that the Chu Emperor has obtained the steelmaking method and cement formula from the northern frontier... and it was the prince who deliberately gave them to him."

Tie Gong slammed his hand on the table.

"How can such a vital national asset be easily given away to others?"

"Your Highness! You are still too young!"

Tie Muyun quickly explained.

"That's not the case!"

According to Zhou Xun, the prince deliberately handed over the technology in order to use the Chu Emperor to build some kind of industrial base in the entire Great Chu.

"This humble general believes that in Your Highness's mind, there are probably many more things that are regarded as miracles!"

The small bottle in Mo Shu's hand fell onto the table with a thud.

"The prince's brain..."

His fingers tapped twice on the table, and the sound suddenly changed.

"If all those things he has were given to the Panlong Guard... we wouldn't need to hide in the mountains anymore."

"Years of dormancy, if it can bring about a northern frontier unparalleled in the world... it's worth it!"

He stood up, paced back and forth a couple of times, his voice low but carrying a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time.

"For attacking fortified positions, there are invincible artillery pieces; for logistics, there are trains as swift as the wind; in addition, there are resources from the entire grassland and the five northern prefectures, the best warhorses in the land, the best weapons and armor, and the prince's unique methods of training troops..."

"What is a Great Chu?"

"That's a fighting force that would make the entire world tremble!"

"What's in his head is more valuable than an army. We need to get him to willingly sift it out."

Tie Gong frowned and turned to look at Mo Shu.

"Old Mo, you've overstepped your bounds!"

"Your Highness is the young master of my Panlong Guard!"

"You'd better tone it down!"

Mo Shu was taken aback by what he heard, chuckled twice, nodded, turned and walked out of the thatched hut. Tie Muyun also prepared to leave.

After Mo Shu left, Tie Gong called out to Tie Muyun.

"Mu Yun, wait a minute."

Tie Muyun stopped in her tracks. Tie Gong didn't look at her; his gaze was fixed on the table.

"Are the people of northern Xinjiang truly living in peace and prosperity, free from war?"

Tie Muyun nodded.

Iron Bow remained silent for a while.

"What the late emperor wanted was for the people to be free from the suffering of war and to live a good life."

"The late emperor longed for this his whole life, but it never came to pass."

His voice was very soft.

"Young Master...did you succeed?"

Tie Muyun looked into his eyes.

"It's done!"

"The people of northern Xinjiang can not only live a good life, but also walk on the streets with dignity, without fear of being exploited by the powerful and wealthy or robbed by bandits."

"Throughout the entire northern border region, everyone is equal!"

"Even Zhou Xun, who now governs the northern frontier, gets teased by the workers when he takes me to the steel mill. This kind of thing doesn't happen anywhere else!"

Tie Gong didn't speak, but listened and nodded until his eyes turned red.

That night, Tie Gong sat under the lamp and listened to Tie Muyun talk for a long time.

She spoke of the fields and grasslands of northern Xinjiang, the border markets, the elderly sunbathing under the city walls, and the children chasing and playing on their way home from school.

After listening, Tie Gong remained silent for a long time, then stood up, walked to the dusty wooden box in the corner, opened it, and took out a cloth bag from the bottom.

Inside the cloth bag was a broken knife, the blade snapped in half, the cut surface rusted a dark red.

Tie Muyun recognized the knife.

"Godfather..."

Tie Gong placed the broken sword on the table.

"This was bestowed upon me by the late emperor."

"When this sword broke, the late emperor gave me his last order..."

Iron Bow's palm rested on the broken sword.

"Since the Chu Emperor ascended the throne, powerful clans have grown increasingly powerful, annexing land and controlling the court..."

He looked up at Tie Muyun, his eyes filled with self-reproach.

"But all I can do is cower in these deep mountains, like a turtle hiding its head!"

"Furthermore, they listened to Mo Shu's terrible advice, causing countless people in Qingzhou to die from the plague!"

"Your Highness is right; this is our fault!"

With one hand gripping the broken sword and the other holding the hilt, Tie Gong snapped it open with force!

The hilt broke off, revealing a patch of bright yellow brocade.

"Mu Yun, keep this secret decree safe. It's proof that the Prince can rightfully ascend the throne!"

Tie Muyun pulled out a brocade, opened it, and saw that it was written in blood:

[Xiao Mu's regicide is an unforgivable crime, but for the sake of the Great Chu, he will be spared for now. If Xiao Mu is virtuous, then we will serve him; if he is not virtuous, then for the sake of the people, we will execute the tyrannical ruler and help Crown Prince Xiao Lie ascend the throne.]

Tie Muyun's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.

"The late emperor knew it from the beginning..."

"yes!"

"It's only because the late emperor cared for the world that that treacherous dog Xiao Mu has survived to this day!"

"Promise your godfather that this secret decree must not be lost!"

Tie Muyun nodded earnestly.

"Even if my daughter dies, the secret decree will be foolproof!"

"However, why did the godfather entrust the daughter to him? Shouldn't he have given her directly to His Highness?"

Iron Bow shook his head.

"Over the years, I have entrusted the reins of the Panlong Guard to Mo Shu..."

"Who knew that Mo Shu would use the 'Soldiers' Powder' to control his men. Originally, I thought he was just being cautious and that he would give the men the antidote after overthrowing the Chu Emperor."

"Judging from Mo Shu's behavior just now, this man has absolutely no loyalty to the late emperor or Your Highness. At this moment, he probably only has ambition in his heart!"

"His Highness is currently under Mo Shu's control. If I were to directly hand over this secret decree to His Highness, it might force Mo Shu to turn against me!"

Tie Gong rewrapped the broken knife, put it back in the wooden box, stood up, and walked out the door.

Tie Muyun followed behind.

"Godfather, where are you going?"

The iron bow did not turn back.

"Go see the prince."

Some things have to be said face to face.

When Tie Gong entered Xiao Lie's thatched hut, Xiao Lie was drinking medicine.

He put down his bowl and looked at Tie Gong standing at the door, his burly figure like a wall.

Without exchanging pleasantries, Tie Gong's first words were...

"Your Highness, I wish to atone for what happened in Qingzhou."

Xiao Lie's expression turned serious as he looked up and carefully examined the iron bow.

"How do I redeem it?"

Tie Gong knelt on one knee.

"From now on, the Panlong Guard will be at the command of the Prince."

"This humble general does not seek to be pardoned, but only asks to do something for those who have died."

"Whatever Your Highness commands, I will do!"

Xiao Lie remained silent for a while.

"General Tie, it's not too late to turn back from the wrong path."

"Do you know what I want?"

Iron Bow raised its head.

"What Your Highness wants is justice! The justice that the people deserve!"

Xiao Lie was somewhat surprised, not expecting Tie Gong to be so insightful.

Tie Muyun knelt down along with Tie Gong.

"Your Highness!"

"My adoptive father followed the late emperor so that together they could create a peaceful and prosperous era!"

"But I later made a mistake, which led to this disaster. I beg Your Highness for mercy!"

Xiao Lie shook his head.

"I have no right to grant mercy."

"When the time is right, I will let the people of Qingzhou decide your crimes."

"After all, it's them who suffer!"

Tie Muyun hurriedly spoke.

"Your Highness, this humble general is willing to atone for my adoptive father's sins!"

Xiao Lie shook his head again and asked a question in return.

"For those people who died of the plague, is there anyone who can die in their place?"

"Justice resides in the hearts of the people; this matter will be judged by public opinion."

"But before that, the Panlong Guard needs some reforms!"

Iron Bow pounded his chest with his right hand.

"Here you go!"

After Tie Gong left, Xiao Lie leaned against the headboard, looking at the night outside the door.

Bisu walked in carrying a bowl of freshly cooked porridge and said softly.

"Your Highness, what do you wish General Tie to change?"

Xiao Lie took the bowl of porridge.

"He knows it himself."

"How can an army dedicated to building a peaceful and prosperous world be controlled by drugs?"

From that night onward, Tie Gong repeatedly asked Mo Shu to remove the "Bing Yong San" from the soldiers of Panlong Guard.

Tie Gong no longer obeyed his orders as before, and even began to interrogate him about who had received the medicinal herbs.

Mo Shu found the iron bow, and the two stood facing each other at the edge of the training ground.

Mo Shu's voice was not loud.

"General, do not waver in your original intention. We, the Panlong Guard, are loyal to the late Emperor..."

Before Mo Shu could finish speaking, Tie Gong interrupted him.

"When the late emperor was alive, would he have used some kind of 'military poison' to poison his own brothers?"

"All these years I've delegated authority to you, what have you been doing behind the scenes?"

Mo Shu looked at him.

"Everything I've done is solely to ensure the survival of the Panlong Guard!"

Iron Bow remained silent for a while.

"No!"

"The Panlong Guard doesn't need this kind of lifestyle!"

"The Panlong Guards may die on the battlefield, but they must not become weapons to harm the people!"

"I'm giving you three days. You'd better cure the brothers of their poison, or else..."

"Don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Iron Bow turned and left.

Mo Shu stood there, watching his back, and slowly closed her folding fan.

That night, Mo Shu went into Xiao Lie's thatched hut again.

Xiao Lie was reading under the lamp when he saw Mo Shu come in, but he didn't look up.

"Vice Commander Mo, please speak frankly."

Mo Shu sat down across the table.

"Your Highness, you sent Mu Yun to the Northern Frontier to incite my ambition, is that it?"

Xiao Lie smiled.

"Does Commander Mo have no ambition?"

Mo Shu gently flicked her fingers, and the folding fan opened.

"Ambition? Of course I have it!"

"I'm learned in many fields and possess vast knowledge, but is it all for the sake of becoming the deputy commander of the Panlong Guard?"

"We followed the late emperor because he possessed the qualities to unify the world!"

"Unfortunately, although the late emperor possessed great talent and ambition, he ultimately could not sever his worldly ties and family ties, thus falling victim to Xiao Mu's schemes!"

"Alas, thinking about it... I regret it!"

Xiao Lie turned a page of his book.

"Are you regretting not reminding your father in time, or not choosing the Chu Emperor from the beginning?"

"I believe that you and the Emperor of Chu could become a legendary couple."

Mo Shu nodded.

"Your Highness is indeed insightful."

"Then Your Highness might guess what would happen if I chose Emperor Chu?"

Xiao Lie finally raised his head.

"You will replace the Chu Emperor and sit on that chair."

"Whether it's the Panlong Guard or Father Emperor, they're all just bargaining chips in your hands."

Mo Shu did not deny it; instead, she smiled slightly.

"Your Highness knows all this so clearly, yet you're still willing to talk to me?"

Xiao Lie closed the book.

"A little talk won't hurt. Anyway, with me around, you'll accomplish nothing!"