The chamber was heavy with the scent of burning sandalwood and iron. Outside, the muffled clang of training echoed, a reminder that every second wasted here meant lives lost beyond the borders.
At the head of the obsidian table, Master Mo Xiang stood with arms crossed, silent as the generals murmured their reports. Beside him, Master Jian sat like a coiled serpent, sharp eyes scanning the faces of every man in the room.
The great doors opened with a low groan. Silence swept the chamber as Qin Yuxi and Qin Yijun entered. Both carried the quiet weight of authority — Yuxi with his sharp, commanding stride, Yijun with his calm, measured presence.
Master Jian's voice cut through the stillness.
"The situation at the borders has worsened. Ye's spirits have merged with their mortal army, striking harder, moving faster."
General Liang of the Mo Clan slammed his palm against the table, his brows drawn tight.
"Then let us strike them now! Every hour we wait, we lose ground and men."
Master Jian raised a hand for silence, his gaze unwavering. "Recklessness will only feed Ye's advantage."
His eyes fixed first on Qin Yijun. "Yijun, you will lead our men. They know you. They trust you. When you speak, they listen — and they will need that steadiness now more than ever."
Yijun inclined his head, voice steady but resolute.
"Then I'll lead them, Father. I'll hold the lines, no matter what it takes."
Then Jian's attention shifted to Yuxi.
"And you, Yuxi, will command the Mo forces."
A sharp ripple of murmurs coursed through the room. Several Mo generals exchanged uneasy glances, their doubt thinly veiled. One even dared to mutter under his breath, earning a cutting glance from Mo Xiang.
Jian's voice hardened like tempered steel.
"Master Mo is tied to sealing the rifts. His focus cannot be divided. His sister may be capable, but she is not ready to command an army of this size. You, Yuxi, are. You'll lead them — or this war is already lost."
Yuxi stepped forward, unbothered by the weight of every stare fixed on him.
Master Mo Xiang finally spoke, his deep voice reverberating like thunder. "They will obey you, Qin Yuxi. If they don't, they answer to me."
The room quieted, the tension sharp enough to cut through the air.
Jian's eyes swept across the room like a blade.
"This is not a discussion. From this moment, they will command our forces. You will follow their orders without hesitation — or you will be removed. Am I understood?"
A unified chorus of, "Yes, Master Jian," echoed back, subdued but firm.
Yijun leaned over the map, tracing the routes of Ye's forces with precision. "Then it's settled. We move at dawn."
Beside him, Yuxi's sharp gaze burned with resolve as he studied the paths marked in crimson.
In Baoli Zhong, only the girls remained. The boys had been taken away, enlisted to join the ongoing pursuit of their enemies.
Quietly, Mo Yuming sat by the edge of the garden, idly plucking the grass growing along the pathway. Everything felt unbearably dull without the familiar chaos brought by her closest friends, Qin Yuxi and Qin Yijun. With them gone, there was no one left to tease, no one to share her usual mischief with.
As her mind wandered, two familiar figures strolled by — Bai Linyan and Wu Ziyi, both of whom had always resented Yuming for one thing: her closeness to the Qin brothers, the very men they secretly adored.
The two slowed their pace and stopped not too far from where Yuming sat. Wu Ziyi's voice, dripping with venom, broke the silence.
"Oh, Mo Yuming," she sneered, crossing her arms. "Your face says it all — so pitiful now that the boys you desperately cling to aren't here to entertain you?"
Bai Linyan smirked, tilting her head, her tone deceptively sweet but sharp as glass.
"Maybe she's realizing now that she's just a shadow to them. Nothing more than a distraction when they're bored."
Yuming turned her head slowly, eyes filled with quiet judgment before rolling them dismissively. She didn't care to fight — not with them. She had always preferred hanging out with the boys, not because she wanted attention, but because they didn't act prim and proper, unlike the other girls. Picking fights with girls, in her mind, was a waste of time and ruined her "edge."
But her silence only seemed to fuel Wu Ziyi's irritation.
"What's wrong, Yuming? Cat got your tongue?" Ziyi stepped closer, her voice sharp and mocking. "Or are you sulking because there's no one left for you to flirt with? Hah! The audacity — going after not just one but both brothers!"
That was the final straw.
Yuming rose from the bench in one swift, fluid motion, the playful nonchalance on her face replaced with cold fury. Without hesitation, her hand whipped across Ziyi's cheek with a sharp, echoing crack.
"I won't waste my words on narrow-minded idiots like you," Yuming spat, her tone sharp as a blade. "Your tiny worlds revolve around nothing but boys and petty jealousy. Pathetic."
Shock flashed in Ziyi's eyes before it twisted into anger.
"What did you just say?!" she snapped, stepping forward, hand raised and trembling with rage as she aimed to slap Yuming back.
But before her hand could connect, a sudden gust of powerful wind sliced through the garden, knocking her arm back with invisible force. The branches above them rustled violently, petals scattering through the air like a storm.
A cold, commanding voice followed.
"Enough."
From the far side of the garden, Feng Lingxi emerged, her robes flowing with the wind she had summoned. Her eyes, sharp and unreadable, locked onto Ziyi first before shifting to Yuming.
Ziyi froze, her bravado shrinking under Lingxi's piercing gaze, however, wasn't as quick to retreat. She clicked her tongue, offering a mocking smile.
"What? So now you're her savior, Lingxi? Or is it that you think acting high and mighty will make Qin Yijun finally look your way?"
Lingxi's gaze to Ziyi, calm but carrying an unspoken warning.
"Unlike some, I don't need to make a spectacle to be noticed. Now leave — both of you."
The winds stirred again, sharper this time, making the branches creak ominously. Bai Linyan flinched, though she masked it with an arrogant scoff, and tugged at Ziyi's sleeve. "Come on, Ziyi. She's not worth our time."
When the two were out of sight, the wind died down, leaving the garden in uneasy silence. Yuming exhaled, loosening voice calm but laced with quiet authority.
"You should learn to ignore them."
Yuming gave a scoff, looking away.
"I don't like wasting words… or slaps. But sometimes, people need to be reminded where their place is."
Lingxi studied her for a moment, then let the corner of her lips curl — a faint, almost imperceptible smile. Beneath her calm exterior, her thoughts briefly wandered to Qin Yijun, the man she quietly admired but never tried to claim, unlike the others. She would never belittle herself with desperate theatrics or petty jealousy.
When the time is right, he'll see me — for who I am, not who I pretend to be, she thought, before turning on her heel.
"Stay out of trouble," Lingxi said simply, though her tone softened just enough to betray a sliver of concern.
(In Fengming)
Frustration and boredom gnawed at Mei'yin as the days dragged on in Fengming. So many of her usual routines had been forbidden; she could no longer climb the mountains, wander freely outside the manor, or even sneak into the forests. Her movements were now tightly controlled — part of her mother's strict discipline after her recent misbehavior.
With a groan, Mei'yin slumped forward onto the table, cheek pressing against the smooth surface as her arms dangled lazily at her sides.
"How much longer do I have to stay here?" she muttered, voice muffled against the wood. "I want to leave Fengming… catch some birds… and… and… drink…"
Each word grew more dramatic than the last as she began lightly bumping her forehead against the table with rhythmic thunks.
Her caretaker, a young servant assigned to watch over her, nearly panicked at the sight.
"Ah, Lady Mei'yin, please don't do that! You'll hurt yourself!"
Mei'yin turned her head slowly, a sly grin curling her lips as an idea bloomed in her mind — the kind of grin that always spelled trouble.
"Help me," she said, voice soft but laced with mischief.
The servant's eyes widened, and she immediately began shaking her head in protest.
"N-No, Lady Mei'yin… I… I can't. Your mother—"
"Ahhhh!" Mei'yin groaned loudly, throwing her head back in exaggerated despair. "You're scared of Mother too?! Ugh, you're all the same! Such cowards!"
The room was quiet, save for the faint rustling of the curtains as the evening breeze slipped in through the open windows. Mei'yin still had her forehead pressed against the table, muttering complaints about her "unjust imprisonment," when the sound of boots echoed from the courtyard.
The guards outside straightened and called out,
"Young Master Yangguang has arrived!"
Mei'yin's head snapped up. Her eyes lit up with sudden energy, though her expression quickly shifted into a smirk.
"Finally," she muttered, straightening her robes as if preparing for battle.
The heavy doors slid open, revealing Feng Yangguang — tall and imposing in his battle-worn armor, his dark hair tied in a high knot, and his sharp eyes taking in the room with a familiar mix of irritation and concern.
"Well, well," Mei'yin greeted, arms crossed as she leaned against the table. "What took you so long, brother? Got lost fighting shadows?"
Yangguang arched a brow, stepping in with his usual cool confidence.
"Lost? Please. The shadows know better than to cross my path. But I hear my little sister's been causing trouble while I'm gone."
"Trouble?" Mei'yin gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest. "I've been nothing but an innocent flower trapped in this gilded cage you call Fengming."
The corner of Yangguang's lips twitched into a half-smirk.
"An innocent flower who tried sneaking out twice, climbed the outer walls three times, and got drunk on Madam Su's wine stash?"
Mei'yin's attendant flinched.. "Young Master, please… don't tell Madam Yan I said anything—"
Before the poor attendant could finish, a sharp, cold voice sliced through the room.
"I already know," Madam Yan said as she stepped forward, her presence commanding silence. Her gaze was steady, sharp as tempered steel, as it fixed on her daughter.
Mei'yin straightened but refused to meet her mother's eyes.. "Mother—"
"Enough, Mei'yin," Madam Yan interrupted firmly. "You will remain here in Fengming for three months. No arguments. No wandering. No drinking. You will follow the rules until your brother completes his mission."
Mei'yin's eyes widened, disbelief flashing across her face.
"Three months? Here? Mother, that's basically—"
"A punishment you earned," Madam Yan cut in, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. "Your brother will be cleaning the area of restless spirits and Ye's remaining men. Until he returns, you will stay put. Is that clear?"
Yangguang tilted his head toward Mei'yin, his grin sharp and infuriating.
"Three months, huh? Don't worry, Mei. Maybe you'll learn some patience… or at least stop drinking the kitchens dry."
Mei'yin glared at him, fists clenched.
"Oh, Not everyone enjoys running around like a sweaty soldier all day."
"Sweaty soldier?" Yangguang barked out a laugh. "Better that than being the Fengming princess throwing tantrums over bird hunting."
Madam Yan slammed her folding fan onto the table, silencing them both.
"Enough. Both of you."
The siblings froze but still exchanged challenging glares, the tension broken only when Yangguang sighed and turned to Mei'yin, his expression softening ever so slightly.
"Look… just stay here, Mei," he said, his voice quieter now. "I'll handle the dangers outside. When I return, I promise we'll go back to the Baoli Zhong together."
For a moment, Mei'yin's defiance faltered. She lowered her gaze but muttered under her breath,
"Three months is still too long."
Yangguang smirked again as he moved toward the door.
"Try not to burn Fengming down while I'm gone. I'd like to have a home to come back to."