Thirty-five bundles of hay equal one pearl.

The woman barely managed to squeeze out a few words, each forced from her last breath.

The three exchanged glances—Princess? Who was she? No one recognized the name. Bai Li Mubai muttered curses in his heart.

“Yueyang?” Xueqing turned, awaiting his instructions.

“Keep her under watch for now,” Pan Yueyang said, stepping out of the tent. His hair was in disarray. Though Mubai surpassed him in martial arts, this boy was unorganized, his heart restless and playful. Tomorrow, Yueyang would have to enter Moon City himself to assess the situation.

Returning to his own tent, Yan’er was already fast asleep. He quietly undressed and wrapped his arms around her, gently caressing her slightly rounded belly, his smile spreading wide.

Two days later

The so-called ‘fodder’ finally awoke.

“Water… water… someone…” The ‘fodder’s’ parched lips cracked painfully with every movement.

“You’re awake?” Someone kicked the ‘fodder’.

“…I am… thirsty,” the ‘fodder’ said, trembling.

No more sound came.

“Report!”

“Enter,” Pan Yueyang was studying the map of Moon City.

“General, the woman has woken.”

“Oh? Bring her here.” Pan Yueyang put away the map. Last night he had personally infiltrated Moon City; the people lived peacefully, their homes intact, and he heard no cries or curses. It appeared Guan Canghai had some conscience in his treatment of the citizens. Yet despite the city’s occupation, no one seemed enraged—clearly, an attack must come soon.

The ‘fodder’ was dragged into the tent. Her crimson dress had faded to a dusty brown, her shoes worn through, exposing glimpses of pale toes.

“Do you know who I am?” Pan Yueyang didn’t look at her.

“I do not.” The woman was not intimidated by his aura, calmly meeting Pan Yueyang’s towering gaze.

“Do you know where you are?” he pressed.

“Humph!” The woman forced herself upright, glaring with contempt, “Traitor!”

Hearing her call him a traitor, Pan Yueyang scrutinized her. “What makes a traitor, what makes a thief?”

“Humph!” She ignored him, sitting upright and resolute.

“You have spirit.” He couldn’t help but admire her composure under duress; Pan Yueyang found himself intrigued.

“I’ll give you one chance. Otherwise, I’ll make your suffering worse than death.” For over a decade on the battlefield, Pan Yueyang knew the best way to deal with stubbornness was torment.

“If I feared you, I wouldn’t speak to you like this,” she answered, straightening her back even more.

“Calling yourself ‘I’? You do have some resemblance.” Pan Yueyang kicked her. “Someone, come.”

She spat blood after the kick, pressing her lips together. She was the sole Princess of the Heavenly Phoenix Kingdom; her father had been threatened by traitors, she had barely escaped death, only to be betrayed again, forced into prostitution, now captured once more. Ha! Father!

Xueqing entered swiftly, seeing the woman on the ground. “General.”

“Clean her up for me,” Pan Yueyang disliked unkempt women.

“No need! I find myself quite fine as I am!”

“Who are you, really?” Perhaps woman to woman would be easier. Xueqing looked at her—despite rags, her bearing was extraordinary.

“Haha, who am I? Do you need to play dumb? Don’t think Guan Canghai’s favor today means you can be proud. He’ll dispose of you all soon enough!” At the end, the woman’s laughter fractured into mad hysteria.

“Guan Canghai?!” Pan Yueyang turned to her. “He’s no match for me.”

The woman eyed the man who called himself ‘General’ in confusion. Mentioning Guan Canghai, he had only contempt. “Where am I?”

“This is the Panlong Kingdom’s main camp,” Pan Yueyang finally saw her expression shift from hatred to confusion and then to a glimmer of hope.

“Panlong Kingdom?”

“And you are?”

“Pan Yueyang.” His face was cold.

“The Panlong Kingdom’s Guardian God of War—Pan Yueyang?” She smiled ironically. “You claim you’re Pan Yueyang; does that make it so?”

Pan Yueyang retrieved a token from his robe: gold, engraved with two lifelike five-clawed dragons, their eyes set with emerald jade, circling the central character for ‘order.’ The edges bore symmetrical patterns, exquisitely carved.

She stared at the dragon eyes; the jade’s green heart faded to white, clearly a top-grade gem. She laughed loudly, “Ha! Heaven has not abandoned me! Heaven has not abandoned the Heavenly Phoenix!” Using the low table for support, she stood.

“I am Mu Qianxue, Princess of the Heavenly Phoenix Kingdom!”

“And what does that matter to me? From your words… it seems the Heavenly Phoenix Kingdom has already changed dynasties.” Pan Yueyang returned the token to his robe, eyeing the fallen princess with sly interest.

“I will fulfill my father’s wishes! I need us to cooperate!” Mu Qianxue spoke with icy calm, colder than ever before.

“Why should I cooperate with you? You have no effect on Panlong Kingdom. You should know, I’m not here to restore your lands,” Pan Yueyang said, amused.

“Because… I am the only heir of the Heavenly Phoenix royal bloodline. Because… the Phoenix Seal and Fengwu Mark are in my hands!” Mu Qianxue looked at him. If not for her current state, if not for her unavenged family, she might have been drawn to this man.

“And what of it? I’ll take the Heavenly Phoenix by force!”

Mu Qianxue laughed softly. “General Pan is truly difficult. Even if you retake Moon City easily, do you really think you can conquer all of Heavenly Phoenix? I am the princess, the sole surviving heir! Whoever marries me will claim my kingdom!” She offered her greatest temptation, though she herself did not know why.

“The princess knows how to bargain!” Pan Yueyang laughed and walked out. “Xueqing, take good care of the princess, she is an honored guest.”

A tacit agreement had been struck.

Mu Qianxue sighed, weakly sitting at the low table. “Your name is Xueqing?”

Xueqing said nothing.

“Prepare my bath.” Absolute nobility—though a prisoner, she remained a noble captive.

…

“What? She claims to be Mu Qianxue?” Gu Yinhe and Bai Li Mubai were both startled.

“I helped her deal with Guan Canghai, forced him to retreat. Only she knows the whereabouts of the Fengwu Mark,” Pan Yueyang shook his head—troubles never end.

“No wonder news from the Heavenly Phoenix has been silent. The old emperor is controlled by Guan Canghai, the Fengwu Mark is lost, so Guan Canghai cannot proclaim himself emperor,” Gu Yinhe pieced together the events.

“Then why did he attack Moon City?” Gu Yinhe couldn’t figure it out. Ordinarily, he should have resolved internal affairs before launching a major assault on Panlong.

“If I’m not mistaken, he knows he can’t control Heavenly Phoenix. From its founding, the kingdom has centered on the Fengwu Mark. If Guan Canghai raises troops to annex Panlong…” He looked at the two in the tent.

“If Guan Canghai annexes Panlong, he rewrites history, changes dynasties!” Gu Yinhe finished his thought, finally understanding why the normally conservative Heavenly Phoenix suddenly launched a surprise attack.

“Xueqing, remember the evil sect I mentioned?”

“Heavenly Dao Sect, Zheng Tiandao,” Xueqing recalled Yueyang mentioning a sudden rise of a cult in the martial world.

“There’s a plot!” Gu Yinhe realized instantly.

The two shot him disdainful looks: stating the obvious!

…

Yan’er had just woken. As the favored lady, she paced circles around her tent, lacking a maid to attend her, so she handled everything herself. Thirsty, she sighed and prepared to visit Gu Yinhe’s tent—since Yueyang treated their tent as a couple’s bedroom, all discussions happened at Gu Yinhe’s. She could see Yueyang there.

Approaching the tent, Yan’er heard an unfamiliar woman’s voice. Curious, she paused, listening intently.

“General Pan, I will keep my promise; you need not doubt me.” After a night’s rest, Mu Qianxue’s spirit had recovered. Though not clad in silk, her noble air remained.

“I know the princess’s word is her bond,” Pan Yueyang smiled.

“A man’s word, perhaps. I judge only by character~” She drew out the last word with a lingering note.

Pan Yueyang raised his brow. “We’ll plan after Moon City falls.”

“Have you considered how to attack?” Mu Qianxue pressed urgently.

“That is my concern, not yours,” he replied, finding conversation with her exhausting—his Yan’er was much easier, always obedient.

“I know Guan Canghai well.” Hatred filled Mu Qianxue’s eyes at his mention.

“Mm.” Pan Yueyang had little desire to engage further.

“His weapon is a type of unbreakable silver thread. If you fight him, General Pan, beware its touch—the threads gleam, but each is laced with deadly poison.” Mu Qianxue recalled the loyal men slain by him, her figure wavering.

“Thank you for the warning, Princess.” Pan Yueyang impatiently unfolded the map.

“General Pan has yet to marry, correct?” Mu Qianxue turned.

He remained silent, studying the terrain around Moon City.

A woman’s intuition was sharpest, especially regarding men. Yan’er listened inside, catching the mood—this unfamiliar woman was interested in Yueyang. Who was she?

“Yueyang? May I come in?”

“Yan’er, come in.” Pan Yueyang’s face lit up.

Mu Qianxue heard the unfamiliar woman’s voice outside. Her body shifted—a beautiful voice. When the curtain lifted, she peered, waiting for the newcomer.

“Yueyang.” Yan’er stood at the door, glanced at the two inside, and smiled.

“This is the princess of Heavenly Phoenix, though sadly fallen to the common folk,” Pan Yueyang said, rising to embrace Yan’er.

“Such beauty—may I ask who you are?” Mu Qianxue’s tone remained lofty.

“My beloved wife—Yan’er.”