The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

The iron cavalry under the command of the War King of the Yunchuan Empire pressed down like dark clouds, their hooves shattering the desolate twilight.

Those cavalrymen who had not fallen due to the Crimson Dust Gu lined up and waited, led by Qi Wang, and followed Pei Yanchuan on horseback to greet them.

The wind whips the banners, making them flutter and rustle.

They had only traveled a few miles when a sudden change occurred.

A cold light suddenly shot out from the side and behind, aiming straight for Qi Wang's nape!

However, in the next instant, the person who made the move fell from his horse like a puppet with its strings cut, his body crashing heavily into the dust, his limbs twitching, black blood spilling from his mouth, and he died in an instant.

The warhorses of the surrounding cavalrymen neighed in alarm, but their reins were held in place by iron fists, and they were nailed to the spot.

"There is no room for even a traitor among my iron cavalry."

Qi Wang reined in his horse and turned it back, the silver saddle reflecting the last rays of the setting sun on the horizon.

He looked down at the gradually cooling corpse, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"This is how this person ended up."

He slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over the faces behind him, some terrified, some pale. The boy's voice was clear, yet every word was like a knife.

"You must be wondering why, when the Yun Chuan army, whom you shared food and drink with, fell, you are still safe and sound?"

The silver bells in his hair tinkled softly in the wind, chilling more than a death knell in the deathly silence.

"Because the Life and Death Gu has already been inside your bodies."

These words shocked the entire cavalry.

"From the day you signed the life-and-death contract and joined my ranks, you have been infected with this Gu."

Qi Wang raised his hand and gently stroked the silver bell at his waist, his voice calm and cold.

"If anyone dares to harbor disloyal thoughts, why should I, the king, take action myself?"

silence.

A deathly silence.

Immediately, someone dismounted and knelt heavily on one knee.

"Your Highness, the War King! We swear to serve you to the death, with no disloyalty whatsoever!"

The shouts rose and fell, like waves surging one after another.

The cavalrymen knelt down beside their horses, their foreheads touching the cold stirrups.

His prayers went unanswered, and he simply withdrew his gaze indifferently.

That youthful face no longer held any of the warmth it had shown when it joked and laughed with Pei Yanchuan; only the coldness and decisiveness honed by years of battles remained.

The so-called God of War is never a soft-hearted person.

"Remember your words today." His voice was soft, yet it overwhelmed the long wind across the wilderness: "The loyal will share glory and wealth; the traitors will die without consequence."

After saying this, he spurred his horse back to Pei Yanchuan's side, and his sharp aura vanished in an instant, as if he were not the person who had just been there.

"Ying Lin, stay close to me."

He lowered his voice, and the fierce look in his eyes softened into a gentle one.

Even if there are countless undercurrents within this iron cavalry, with me here, no one can stir up a single wave. Don't be afraid.

Pei Yanchuan looked up at him, his gaze complex.

This was the first time he had ever seen such a magistrate!

The true form of the God of War!

Even without personally taking action, he demonstrated his decisive and ruthless nature.

Regent Qi Si had already regained consciousness, but he still claimed to be critically ill, and not a word of it reached Qi Zhan's ears.

Qi Zhan was currently in a state of utter distress. The Jiangchen Gu calamity was shaking the foundations of the nation, and even with a thousand schemes in his mind, he had no spare thoughts to spare.

"Lord," Pei Yanchuan rode alongside him, the wind whipping through his sleeves, a chill running through his voice, "you... have you given up hope for him?"

Qi Wang did not answer immediately.

After a long pause, he said in a low voice, "I used to think that no matter how he treated me, he would always be my brother."

His knuckles were white as he gripped the reins.

"But he colluded with a cult and harmed his own family. He's no longer the person I knew."

Pei Yanchuan remained silent for a long time, then his lips twitched, like a blade tempered with ice and snow, revealing its sharpness inch by inch.

"The matter of the Crimson Dust Gu might actually be related to him. My lord, my father devoted his entire life to loyalty, yet in the end he was imprisoned in that sunless Guixu Palace..."

"Someone has to settle this score, as well as the entire Pei family who died unjustly."

He reined in his horse and slowed down, turning his head to look at Qi Wang, his eyes reflecting the sunlight.

"If you, Lingzhi, do not fight for the throne of Yunchuan, then I will fight for it."

The wind suddenly picked up.

Qi Wang suddenly turned to look at him, as if he were seeing Pei Yanchuan for the first time.

"Ying Lin..."

He never imagined that the gentle and refined Pei Yanchuan would harbor ambitions to seize the throne.

"I used to think that if I could be a good minister and assist a wise ruler, the world would be at peace."

Pei Yanchuan interrupted him.

"But a subject is ultimately nothing more than a disposable pawn on someone else's chessboard. I've had enough of walking down a path where a knife hangs over your neck without you even realizing it."

He looked at Qi Wang, his gaze bright and clear.

Qi Wang's voice was slightly hoarse.

"I do not contend with my elder brother, nor with my younger brother."

"Ying Lin—you are more deserving of that position than he is."

He dared not gamble that Qi Zhan was unrelated to the Jiangchen Gu. That person had gone mad and should no longer be expected of anything.

"Qi Zhan is unrighteous and acts against the will of Heaven; I will not stand idly by. You are the legitimate heir of the Qi clan; I will lend you a helping hand."

Pei Yanchuan shook his head.

"Executor, there's no need for you to take action."

His voice was calm.

"You only need to promise me one thing—don't stop me."

Qi Wang's fingertips trembled.

Pei Yanchuan knew what Qi Wang feared most.

His parents died in the internal strife of the royal family, and their remains were never found.

The phrase "brothers fighting each other" is a nightmare etched into his very bones.

"I'll play this game myself."

Pei Yanchuan gently withdrew his hand, spurred his horse forward half a step, and turned his back to him.

"You can just stand on the shore and watch the fire from across the river."

The wind lifted his blue and white snowflake cloak, its silver patterns, stitch by stitch, shimmering with light.

"if……"

He paused, but didn't turn around.

"If both players are severely injured, they both lose the game."

"Sir, come and collect our bones then."

Upon hearing this, Qi Wang smiled bitterly.

"Ying Lin".

He looked up at the receding, solitary figure.

"You tell me to watch the fire from the sidelines... but how can I stand idly by if that fire burns you?"

His gaze darkened, like the deep sea in the dark night.

"not to mention……"

"Qi Zhan, will he really let me go?"

He spurred his horse and led his cavalry in pursuit.

When the group of people came into view, Pei Yanchuan suddenly pulled on the reins.

Pei Zhao, covered in blood, leaned against the side of the carriage shaft, his face as pale as autumn frost.

Mei Ruohuan half-embraced him, her face completely drained of color, yet she still managed a weak smile at him.

Pei Ningran's light green dress was stained with blood from the battles she had fought along the way.

At that moment, Pei Yanchuan's eyes suddenly reddened.

"Father--"

He dismounted and almost staggered as he ran over.

"Mother! Ranran!"

Even though the Cloud Scale Guards had already sent a message informing him that his father was still alive, when he saw this scene with his own eyes, the dam that had been holding on for so long finally collapsed.

Tears welled up and scalding hot as they fell onto the dust.

"Your son is late..." He knelt before Pei Zhao, his voice choked with sobs, "I've made you... suffer."

He lowered his head, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

I hate that I'm not strong enough, I hate that I have no power, and I can only watch helplessly as my loved ones suffer.

The desire to rise to a high position, wield power, and protect all those he cared about burned like wildfire within him, making his very being feel hot.

I have never felt such a clear and burning pain.