Chapter 422: Returning to the Northern Border Camp, a Sense of Urgency

Princess Qingyun’s face twisted into a strange expression.

"Zhao, Zhao, Zhao..."

She stammered, not daring to repeat the three-character name Ji Qingwu had just uttered.

It was the Emperor’s taboo personal name, which even a Princess like herself was forbidden to speak aloud.

Horror flashed in Princess Qingyun’s eyes, and she slumped in her seat.

"Cousin, have you run into some sort of trouble? Are you not thinking clearly? Only you and I know about this. I won’t tell anyone."

Ji Qingwu said, "I have run into a bit of trouble. I need your help."

With a sincere but troubled expression, Princess Qingyun said, "I may be a Princess, but as you know, the Emperor comes first. Without him, there would be no princesses. Between you... and him... I don’t know whose side to take."

Ji Qingwu couldn’t help but laugh. "What are you thinking?"

Princess Qingyun asked, "Aren’t you planning to go after my Imperial Brother and fight him to the death?"

Ji Qingwu pointed to herself and jutted out her chin. "Do I look like I could win?"

Princess Qingyun fell silent, her expression clearly conveying a negative answer.

But she still felt she had a point. "Then why did you speak my Imperial Brother’s personal name? That’s a crime punishable by beheading."

Ji Qingwu blinked. "I can’t?"

’I feel like I’ve said it many times already, and nothing terrible happened.’

"Well, I’ve never heard anyone say it," Princess Qingyun said. "Cousin, please don’t call him that. At the very least, don’t say it in front of me."

She patted her chest, her heart still pounding. "It’s too much. Just hearing you say it frightens me."

Then it dawned on Princess Qingyun. "Wait! So you’re going to the Northern Border to find my Imperial Brother?"

Ji Qingwu nodded. "Yes, that’s right. I have to get to the Northern Border as soon as possible."

’I’m still holding on to an unreleased blessing of national fortune. It will only unleash its full power at the border. Time is short; I can’t delay any longer.’

Ji Qingwu got straight to the point. "Your Highness, I need you to prepare a stamped document for me."

’To cross the border between the two nations, one needs a document personally stamped by a State Official or someone of higher rank. But to enter a military camp, a special document and seal are required. The Princess’s golden seal should suffice.’

But Princess Qingyun frowned and tried to dissuade her. "Cousin, there’s a war going on at the border. It’s not safe. You should stay here with me and keep me company instead."

Ji Qingwu ignored her, looking down and counting on her fingers to calculate the travel time.

"It should take about a day and a night to get there. Please prepare a horse-drawn carriage for me as well."

Princess Qingyun continued trying to persuade her. "Cousin, the military camp is full of rough men. The food is terrible, you can’t sleep well, and there’s no one to talk to. You’d be better off staying here with me."

After finishing her calculation, Ji Qingwu still felt it wasn’t fast enough. "On second thought, just prepare a fast horse for me," she said impatiently. "I’ll ride there myself. That should save me two or three hours."

Princess Qingyun, desperate to change her mind, couldn’t help but raise her voice.

"Cousin, if war really breaks out with Xijin, it will be far too dangerous! You can’t go! I have to stop you, no matter what—"

"Zhao Jiayun!"

Ji Qingwu cut her off, her expression unyielding as she stared at the princess with a deep frown.

’This is the final step. I can’t possibly give up now. No one can stop me.’

’I know better than anyone how dangerous a battlefield is. That’s precisely why I have to be by his side.’

Ji Qingwu took a breath. "If you won’t help me, fine. I’ll find my own way."

Caught off guard by the use of her personal name, Princess Qingyun’s expression froze. Other than Emperor Wu Su, no one had ever dared address her so directly.

She felt as if her soul had left her body and then snapped back into place. It was a strangely pleasant sensation, as if an unspoken barrier between them had just been shattered.

The figure in peach-pink before her was already walking toward the door.

Princess Qingyun bit her lip and finally relented. "I’ll help."

"But..." she added.

Ji Qingwu turned back and looked at Qingyun in surprise, wondering what condition she was about to name.

Qingyun was smiling. "Cousin, say it again. Say my name. The two words, Zhao Jiayun, sound so beautiful coming from you."

*

After some discussion, Ji Qingwu and Qingyun decided on a safer way for her to enter the Northern Border.

Led by Li Chengxun, two thousand elite soldiers set out in a great, imposing column on the road back to the Northern Border.

Ji Qingwu rode in an inconspicuous carriage. She was still disguised with Chunhua’s face and had changed into gray clothes that matched the soldiers’ uniforms.

She felt no desire to sleep, instead gazing out the carriage window.

The night was as black as ink, with stars scattered across the heavens. ’I wonder what he’s doing right now...’

The column moved at a remarkable pace. After traveling through the entire night, they finally reached the Northern Border Camp at dawn.

Ji Qingwu lifted a corner of the thick curtain. A sudden blast of cold wind sobered her senses, and she gazed out at the scene before her.

The camp’s gate was tall and heavy, constructed from massive logs and studded with iron spikes.

In the distance, several tall watchtowers stood at the camp’s edge, manned by sentries.

A massive banner hung from the gatehouse. On a black field edged with gold, the word "Beili" was embroidered in the center, snapping sharply in the morning wind.

Flanking the gate stood two rows of fully armed soldiers, long spears in hand, their sharp gazes vigilantly scanning the surroundings.

The guards recognized Li Chengxun and began to let the column pass. The two thousand elite soldiers entered the camp without incident.

When Ji Qingwu’s carriage slowly approached the gate, a guard stepped forward to block its path. "Who goes there?" he asked in a cold voice.

The driver respectfully handed over the document bearing Princess Qingyun’s golden seal. "By order of the Princess, we are escorting a maid to the camp. She has urgent business with His Majesty."

After carefully inspecting the document, the guard waved them through.

Ji Qingwu stared intently at everything before her. ’This was once my home, too.’

Inside the camp, rows upon rows of tents were arranged in neat square formations, with wide paths between them for men and horses to pass.

The carriage passed an open training ground. At the center of the camp stood a command tent, much larger than the others.

Ji Qingwu had once been familiar with every blade of grass and every tree here, but years had passed, and much had changed.

’But the one thing that shouldn’t have changed...’

’...was the training ground.’

There were no soldiers drilling, no thunderous battle cries.

Ji Qingwu put on her veiled hat, scrambled out of the carriage, and ran toward a soldier standing guard by a nearby tent.

She asked urgently, "Why is the camp so empty? Where did everyone go?"

The soldier looked at the unfamiliar young woman before him and said sternly, "Who are you? This is a military matter. It’s not for outsiders to ask about."

Ji Qingwu frowned. ’The camp is empty, so they must have gone out to fight. Could it be that Xijin found out Wei Ting went to Black Wind Village last night and launched a surprise attack?’

At the thought, Ji Qingwu’s heart began to pound.

Her ears twitched. She heard the thunder of galloping hooves. Forgetting all about her veiled hat, she sprinted toward the camp gate.

Just as she rounded the corner of the training ground, her foot came down on a stray arrow, and she pitched forward violently...