Mountains and rivers are waiting for you to return

Chapter 1 Prologue
Winter of the 21st year of Zhengkang.

Xiao Mingyi will never forget that day.

The seven-year-old boy knelt on the snow at the foot of Qinghu Mountain. The ground was littered with still-warm corpses. Soldiers were wiping their swords in front of him, and drops of blood were falling, staining the snowy ground.

Frost and snow condensed on the branches, his limbs were as stiff as dead tree trunks, and his whole body was cold to the bone.

In the name of mountains and rivers, the world places the current martial arts masters at the highest position and worships them as gods.

But now, one of the six people known for their "heroes" is right in front of him.

Zhou Mingfang walked over and looked down at Xiao Mingyi, but his face showed some pity, "Don't blame us for being cruel, blame you for being born in an imperial family, we are just following orders."

Xiao Mingyi was pinned under a tree. The soldier behind him raised his long sword, and the sharp blade reflected a silver light that was somewhat dazzling.

As the sword was about to fall, someone said, "Brother Zhou, the Second Prince's order is to bring him alive to the agreed location. If he disobeys."

"Don't you know what kind of person Xiao Bin is? You can recall the fate of the children in his house. This is his own brother whom he hates. Sending this child to the wilderness is too inhumane." Zhou Mingfang nodded to the executioner, "Go ahead!"

At this moment, the sound of horse hissing suddenly rang out, and everyone turned around.

The figure was getting closer and closer, and the heroic woman jumped off her horse holding a spear.

The light snow fell on her shoulders, and the strong wind lifted her clothes. She had extremely gentle features, yet she had an aura that showed she was not frightened by the roaring wind and thunder.

This was the first time Xiao Mingyi saw Pei Nai, but he would never forget this one glance.

Many years later, he often dreamed of this scene. In his dream, there was a woman, alone, traveling thousands of miles across the country just to take him home.

"Who is coming?" Zhou Mingfang asked.

The woman turned the gun and stood at her side, "Pei family gun, Pei Nai."

Hearing this familiar name, Xiao Mingyi's eyelids twitched twice.

His mother once told him that his mute uncle married a very powerful woman, and his aunt was the only descendant of the Pei family.

He was too young to realize the significance of this sentence at that time. When he was two years older, he gradually understood that what this sentence meant was that behind his aunt was the entire Pei family army and the people's hearts.

"Go up the three mountains and chase the northern spears?" Zhou Mingfang looked at Pei Nai without moving, with a faint smile on his face. "General Pei Hao is dead, and Guo Min is far away in the frontier. Just at your young age, you dare to call yourself a spear of the Pei family?"

Pei Nai did not tie up his horse, but walked forward step by step through the thick snow.

She glanced at the corpse lying on the ground, her eyes showing a bit of cruelty, "I don't want to waste time talking to you, hand over Xiao Mingyi, and I can leave your corpse intact."

Countless laughters were heard all around.

Zhou Mingfang smiled with them and took two steps forward involuntarily, "You came here alone, but did the people your husband Gu Jinheng sent to Xiaoyang Pass fall into the trap?"

"Your master Xiao Bin is only capable of bribing eunuchs. Yes, if I had been a few steps late, they would have fallen into the trap," Pei Nai changed the subject, "But, aren't you curious about how I know the location of this place?"

Zhou Mingfang's face changed, "People from Xiaoyang Pass"

Pei Nai nodded, "You guys are not careful with your words. You confessed everything before you died."

"Are you alone?" Zhou Mingfang showed a skeptical look and picked up the ancient silver axe beside him. "Then I am a little curious and want to see the so-called Pei family spear."

He raised the long axe high and rushed towards Pei Nai at a fast pace.

The long axe passed over his head, and he used both hands to force the back of the axe downward, then smashed it hard at Pei Nai.

Pei Nai dodged to the side and avoided his attack.

The inky black gun body turned with her right hand, drew a half arc, and almost missed the axe body, cutting Zhou Mingfang's right arm and chest, and blood splattered on the axe handle.

Zhou Ming released some of his strength and hurriedly pulled the axe back.

"You shouldn't have let me." Pei Nai looked at him disappointedly.

Zhou Mingfang looked at the wound on his chest, excitement appeared in his eyes. He turned the axe and chopped it down diagonally again.

Pei Nai quickly turned around to avoid it, but Zhou Mingfang's next attack immediately followed.

His movements became faster and faster, and Pei Nai gradually became more exhausted.

In the continuous attack of the long axe, Pei Nai seized the only flaw and blocked the back of the axe with the body of his spear, interrupting Zhou Mingfang's move.

"Three Slashes of the Earth, are you Tao Jiangtian Axe, Zhou Mingfang?" Pei Nai looked at him in confusion.

Zhou Mingfang smiled and said, "You have a good eye. It's rare to meet an opponent like you. Let's have a good fight today!"

The owner of the Heavenly Axe completely abandoned his backup plan and swung the axe again, with each move carrying the power of a fight to the death.

Pei Nai dodged his attack, but still couldn't hold back his anger, and scolded: "Why do the descendants of Tao Jiang want to be dogs for Xiao Bin?"

"It's you, the Pei family, who don't understand the situation and are on the wrong side."

Zhou Mingfang no longer showed any flaws, and Pei Nai could not find a chance to counterattack. When the offensive gradually weakened, she gritted her teeth, raised her gun and blocked the blow of the Heavenly Axe. The sharp blade hit the gun and just stopped.

However, the ancient silver sky axe that could cross rivers and break ground and rocks failed to penetrate deeply. It only grazed the surface of the spear, leaving a slight wound.

Zhou Mingfang tilted his head and said, "Although the gun in your hand is not the Zhubei Gun, it is also quite interesting."

"The name of this spear is Gui Mo. You, who are about to become a dead soul under the spear, should know its name." Pei Nai turned the spear and slashed it out at the last moment.

A sharp air cut through the air, and everyone could see with their naked eyes that there seemed to be a white arc rushing towards Zhou Mingfang's chest, cutting a bloody mark on his chest.

Zhou Ming put his long axe on the ground and tried to stand.

When everyone thought he was going to fall, he whispered: "The third style of Pei's spear, 'Cloud-piercing Armor', is indeed worthy of its name."

Pei Nai was surprised at how easily he had executed his moves, and Zhou Mingfang immediately lifted the axe handle and threw it diagonally.

The long axe transformed into a huge boomerang in the air and flew straight towards Pei Nai.

Xiao Mingyi shouted from the side.

But Pei Nai was a little slower and moved her body to avoid the vital points, but the axe blade mercilessly cut her left arm, leaving a deep bloody wound.

Pei Nai's body swayed and he knelt on one knee, seeming a little powerless.

Zhou Mingfang walked towards the long axe stuck in the snow, saying, "I was careless, the descendant of Zhubei Spear."

Pei Nai lowered his head, his face livid.

Zhou Mingfang picked up the weapon from the snow and walked behind Pei Nai, his tone full of regret for the dying man.

"Actually, you don't have to. Everyone knows the significance of the Zhubei Spear to the world. No one dares to touch your Pei family. You just need to remain neutral. No matter who sits on the throne, you will benefit. You can obviously live a stable life. Why do you have to gamble with the reputation of the Pei family for hundreds of years?"

“In such troubled times, who can remain unscathed?” Pei Nai pulled up the sleeve of his left arm to cover the bloody wound.

She scooped up a handful of snow with her right hand and, in front of everyone's horrified gaze, she covered the bleeding wound with the snow through the cloth.

The clear snow brought with it an extreme chill that instantly drove out the pain and paralyzed the wound.

Pei Nai gritted his teeth and said, "The prince is stupid and incompetent, Xiao Bin has committed many evil deeds. I risked my life to save Ayi, not only because he is my nephew, but also because he is Tianyao's only hope."

Zhou Mingfang's gaze was still on her wound, but admiration was already evident in his eyes.

In the biting cold wind, Pei Nai suddenly smiled.

Her right hand was freed, and she picked up the spear on the ground and said, "You are the most powerful person I have ever fought, but that was only in the past."

The seven-foot-long spear stick turned vertically in Pei Nai's hand, sweeping across the ground and raising dust and snow.

Pei Nai took advantage of the situation to stand up and turned around, slashing the tip of his spear straight towards Zhou Mingfang.

Zhou Mingfang blocked it with the axe, and there was a loud sound of metal collision.

Pei Nai did not retreat either, and Gui Mo used his spear to hold back his long axe.

She took two steps forward, holding the gun steady with her right hand, but kept sliding forward. When she got close, she turned around in an instant and switched her left and right hands.

The spear put pressure on the axe again, but she turned around and kicked Zhou Mingfang in the chest.

Zhou Mingfang had a chest injury and stepped back in pain.

Pei Nai turned half a circle with the gun in his left arm, and as his legs landed on the ground, the butt of the gun had accurately hit the axe handle.

The axe turned sideways and immediately chopped towards Pei Nai, but the power was lost due to unstable force.

Pei Nai put away his gun and dodged, turning twice. A strong wind blew up from the ground, carrying snow everywhere.

The gun barrel was pressed against the ground to support her, and Pei Nai jumped up with only one target, which was Zhou Mingfang in front of her.

The spear chopped down fiercely from top to bottom, and the sharp edge suddenly appeared, like a white rainbow chasing the moon.

Powerful air currents split the earth, and strong winds blew up two snow walls, which collapsed in an instant.

The ninth move of Pei family spear: Jiangshan Moves.

The blood poured into the crack of the ground. Pei Na stood up from the ground, and Zhou Mingfang knelt in the pit, his face unrecognizable.

If you could forget the whistling sound of the wind, there would be dead silence all around.

No one could believe that Tao Jiangtian Axe would die at the hands of a woman. After such a tragic defeat, his men gradually came to their senses and rushed forward together, shouting angrily.

Pei Nai turned to meet him, and the tip of his spear cut through the white snow like a bloody stroke.

The collision of metal and stone makes a loud sound.

Compared with the Pei family spears, these well-trained soldiers seemed like children who were just beginning to learn martial arts.

Those were moves that came naturally, and everyone who faced the enemy was oppressed by the momentum.

This is the power that supports Tianyao Jiangshan and protects peace among all lands.

Chasing the Pei Family's Spear from the North.
Everyone could see that the woman's shooting skills had become more stable, accurate and advanced since a moment ago.

What kind of martial arts talent is this to be able to achieve such an improvement in just one battle?
As they thought this, they fell down one by one in confusion.

The sharp blade cut through the air, like lightning escaping the clouds, or like a meteor chasing a falling star. In a flash, it killed again and again.

Blood was all over the ground and wailing was everywhere.

When every move is performed to near perfection, Pei Na is like a Shura on the battlefield.

When the spear fell, the last enemy fell into the red snow, and only the heart-wrenching silence remained around.

Pei Nai walked towards Xiao Mingyi step by step.

Her lips seemed a little dry. She said nothing, but just stretched out her hand to Xiao Mingyi who was kneeling on the ground.

Xiao Mingyi kept his head raised, the hand in front of him was as beautiful as a jade bamboo shoot, but now it was covered with blood.

His right hand had turned blue due to the cold, and he placed it on her palm with difficulty. Pei Nai tried to pull him up, but he couldn't get up.

"Is your leg injured?" Pei Nai asked after looking down.

"Hmm." Xiao Mingyi made a sound through his nasal cavity.

Pei Nai turned around and squatted down, "Come up, I'll carry you away."

Xiao Mingyi couldn't explain his emotions, he just moved his body forward little by little.

After he lay down on Pei Nai's back, Pei Nai held up his legs and slowly stood up.

There was some movement not far away. It was Zhou Mingfang lying in a pool of blood.

Pei Nai knew that he had no ability to resist anymore, so he carried little Xiao Mingyi on his back and walked towards the frightened horses in the distance.

They slowly approached Zhou Mingfang and heard the man say in a very weak voice: "Do you want to know why I helped Xiao Bin?" Zhou Mingfang remained where he was, his body shaking and coughing up blood.

This was his last glimmer of hope before death. He had used up all his strength to speak with difficulty.

"Your husband is a very ambitious man. The Pei family should be on guard. Even if the plan succeeds, I'm afraid the world may not be ruled by the Xiao family."

Neither Pei Nai nor Xiao Mingyi responded. As the last words faded away, Zhou Mingfang's body completely froze.

If there were other people present, they would definitely sigh, what a great hero Liujiang was, whose body remained standing even after his death.

Pei Nai didn't look at it any more and continued to walk away, "Aren't you afraid?"

Xiao Mingyi behind him paused, "What are you afraid of?"

“So many people died.”

Xiao Mingyi didn't expect that she, who was born in a general's family, would ask such a question, so he said, "I'm used to it."

"How come you are so young and yet you speak so maturely?"

Xiao Mingyi had never thought about this problem before. He thought that children of the same age should be like this.

He did not answer, but asked: "Why help me? Your ancestors have made great military achievements. No family's honor can reach such a peak. You can obviously stay out of it like that person said."

Pei Nai tilted his head and glanced at him. "Each generation of the Pei family guards the territory and obeys the monarch. Unfortunately, I am the only one left in this generation of the Pei family, and the only one who can catch the eye of the Xiao family is you who has not grown up yet. So there is no way. It seems that it is destined that the person I have to go through fire and water for is you."

Her horse had not been tied up before, and now it was frightened and ran to the distant slope.

Pei Nai lifted Xiao Mingyi's leg again, seeming to be struggling.

"Put me down." Xiao Mingyi felt a little reluctant.

Pei Nai shook his head, "It's okay. You can't walk a few steps with the injury on your leg. I feel fine."

The scene of Pei Nai risking her life to protect him flashed before Xiao Mingyi's eyes. He felt that this woman was really a stubborn woman, so he said, "You are just a woman. You don't have to bear the responsibilities left by your ancestors."

"I don't think being a woman will be an obstacle to the path I have chosen. My body is indeed weaker than yours, but physical condition cannot determine everything. I have been working hard for this since I was born, trying to change the world's view of women. Moreover, this is not just the responsibility of the Pei family. Regardless of gender, age or status, it is everyone's responsibility to defend the country."

Pei Nai continued to refute him, "I have enjoyed the honor given to me by Zhubei Gun and have been blessed by the country. Now that it's my turn, I will do whatever it takes!"

Xiao Mingyi was a little surprised that such words would come out of a woman's mouth.

But she said it so naturally, as if all this was as it should be.

No one spoke anymore.

After a moment of silence, Pei Nai suddenly asked, "Xiao Mingyi, do you want to be the emperor of Tianyao?"

His head gradually sank, and his voice was a little hoarse, "I do, because only in this way can I justify the grievances my mother has endured for so many years."

"Okay, I will do my best to help you."

It seemed as if a stream of air rolled by, and something in Xiao Mingyi's heart was constantly surging.

"Why do you like my dumb uncle? I heard that he is a terrible person."

Pei Nai shook his head. "He's not scary, it's just that he can't speak and has a very cold personality. Those people are afraid of him, so they describe him like that."

"Aren't you afraid of him?" Xiao Mingyi was a little confused.

"Don't be afraid. I actually like making him angry."

Xiao Mingyi did not respond. He just felt that, different from what people described, the person in Pei Nai's eyes seemed to be another Gu Jinheng.

Afterwards, they mounted their horses and headed towards the capital, Chaoyang.

Qinghu Mountain is several days away from Chaoyang. Pei Nai was worried that there would be other pursuers, so he did not take Xiao Mingyi to stay in a hotel.

They traveled during the day and found a place to sleep in the suburbs at night, either in an abandoned temple or a hidden cave.

The nights were always extremely cold, and Pei Nai thought he was a child, so the two of them often leaned against each other for warmth.

During those quiet nights, Pei Nai told him many stories.

From the Three Mountains and Five Peaks to the Six Rivers of Zhongchuan.

Xiao Mingyi didn't have the heart to tell her that he had actually heard all these stories.

Legends of martial arts such as the solitary sword of Xihan chasing away the spear of Beibei and the supreme general of the Southern Qiang sword have long been compiled into folk stories and are well-known to everyone.

But for some reason, even though these stories were not new, he always fell asleep unknowingly while listening to Pei Nai's voice.

After returning to the Marquis Duanding's Mansion in Chaoyang, Xiao Mingyi finally met his uncle Gu Jinheng again.

The rumors outside were true; that handsome face was more than enough to make up for the shortcomings in words.

However, Xiao Mingyi did not expect that Pei Nai’s trip was not Gu Jinheng’s wish.

After the servant informed him, his mute uncle hurried over.

The moment Gu Jinheng appeared, Xiao Mingyi could feel a strong air pressure surrounding him.

The servants were terrified and fell to their knees.

Only Pei Nai, still smiling carefreely, ran up to talk to him and told him what had happened recently.

Xiao Mingyi also clearly saw that the cold anger between his uncle's brows was fading away bit by bit.

For the next three years, Xiao Mingyi stayed in the Marquis Duanding's Mansion.

He witnessed the brutal dispute over the title, and how his mute uncle, after inheriting the title, mediated in the turbulent disputes between the government and the public, and gradually expanded his power.

Sometimes Xiao Mingyi often thought of the last words Zhou Mingfang said before he died.

Outsiders may see some things more clearly. His mute uncle is indeed a very ambitious man.

Trapped in the mansion for a long time, Pei Nai became Xiao Mingyi's closest person.

Xiao Mingyi also understood that because of the Pei family, his aunt had become the object that all men in the world wanted to conquer.

But such a legendary woman just happened to fall in love with his uncle.

The Pei family army behind her can therefore be used by Gu Jinheng.

No one can understand Gu Jinheng's true feelings towards Pei Nai, but at least, Gu Jinheng has never had any other woman except her.

Xiao Mingyi originally thought that even if there was no love between men and women, there should at least be some family affection of mutual companionship.

But no one expected that Pei Nai would end up like that.

In the twenty-fourth year of Zhengkang, the emperor passed away.

The terminal illness he suffered three years ago caused him to lose consciousness for a long time, and when he woke up occasionally, it was in unbearable pain.

The imperial physician mobilized the whole country to find a cure, but in the end there was no cure.

On the night of His Majesty's death, the Crown Prince was assassinated.

The second prince Xiao Bin thought his plan was foolproof, but he did not expect that the Yulin garrison in the city that was supposed to assist him suddenly turned against him, and the army outside the city was surrounded.

Having lost his power, he left the city overnight and escaped death under the protection of countless people. He successfully avoided the pursuit of Duanding Hou's troops and reunited with his own troops in Yuncheng.

Xiao Bin, who would do anything to get the throne, did something that shocked the world without any backup plan.

He chose to seek assistance from the neighboring enemy state, the Wu tribe, which had been the greatest threat throughout the ages.

In order to achieve cooperation, he was willing to exchange Guancheng and Zibo, two of the six cities in the western border of Tianyao.

The six cities in the western border are connected by the Great Wall. They are located on the border between Tianyao and its western neighboring countries. They are not only a center of trade, but also a military fortress for defending against foreign enemies.

For the sake of that yellow robe, Xiao Bin lost his mind.

This not only means handing over two cities to others, but also pushes the entire Tianyao into a dangerous situation.

So the situation changed rapidly.

That day, news came from the border that the Wu tribe was approaching with 200,000 elite troops.

It was late at night and the lights were on in the Marquis Duanding's Mansion. Gu Jinheng, who was already in a high position at that time, was discussing countermeasures with his staff all night long.

As the future monarch they were supporting, Xiao Mingyi had the honor to sit aside and listen.

His subordinates all had good ideas. Although Gu Jinheng was unable to speak, whenever he was about to give orders for action or issue an order, the air would suddenly stagnate.

People could feel the change in pressure around them, and the entire council hall would immediately become quiet, waiting for him to give orders with gestures.

All the people present, from the first-rank generals to the imperial censors, regardless of their official rank, dared not object.

They said that to the north, Xiao Bin was stationed in Bingyun City, and to the west, the Wu tribe's army was pressing in. Their primary task was to prevent the two armies from joining together, but their existing troops could not fight twice in succession. Once they were trapped by the enemy, the consequences would be disastrous.

Now the country has no crown prince, the world is in chaos, and the princes on all sides are guarding their fiefdoms. It is extremely difficult to ask them to mobilize their troops.

These people argue endlessly on many issues, but there is one thing that no one questions.

Pei’s army is their only hope.

Four months ago, Pei Nai's uncle Guo Min died for his country. Since then, no one except Pei Nai can inherit the Pei family's seal.

Pei Nai naturally did not reject Gu Jinheng's proposal. After going to the Pei family army’s base to inherit the commander-in-chief, he personally led his troops to join the battle.

In the base camp, in front of the generals of the Pei family army, Gu Jinheng proposed a battle plan and agreed on the attack route with the Pei family army.

With the strength of Pei's army, it would have been a foolproof plan.

But who could have expected that at a critical moment, Pei Nai would be abandoned by the person next to him?

Isolated and helpless, she led the Pei army to face the Wu tribe's cavalry head-on.

It was a battle that will go down in history.

The Wu clan was completely wiped out, and the Pei clan army won a great victory by defeating a larger force with a smaller one.

On the day the news reached the capital, amidst the countless sobs in his ears, Xiao Mingyi recalled the nights when he and Pei Nai fled.

It seems that all heroes have the same fate, and the ending of the story is inevitably tragic.

Pei Nai used the Zhubei Spear to fight against the enemy leader, one of the Three Mountains, Xihan Gudao Tuoba Huo.

Zhubei Spear and Xihan Lone Sword are both from the top three mountains, and it has been difficult to tell which one is better for hundreds of years. As a woman, Pei Nai is at a disadvantage in terms of strength and experience.

But she single-handedly defended the dignity of Zhubei Gun.

She killed Tuoba Huo, but the price was: they both died.

His mute uncle Gu Jinheng married her to take advantage of the Pei family's influence, but eventually, because he was afraid of the Pei family's military power, he set a death trap for her with his own hands.

In the past, Pei Nai often took Xiao Mingyi to the Huafang Tavern to listen to the singing and playing of the pipa.

The top zither player on the boat is particularly good at playing "Beauty's Tears". When the strings and fingers stop, the sound is filled with sorrow.

There was a line in the song that Xiao Mingyi found difficult to understand at the time, but he almost cried every time he thought of it afterwards.

"Our two hearts have grown old with the green mountains, and today the wind is blowing and covering our tears.

You raise your cup and smile, and the mountains and rivers are in front of you. "

(End of this chapter)