Frontier Hero: From Receiving a Convicted Woman to Becoming an Emperor for All Time

Shen Chuxiao stood before the memorial tablet, remaining silent for a long time.

"Lord Wang is a good official."

His voice was very soft, as if he were afraid of disturbing the spirits behind the memorial tablet.

Shen Qiao's eyes suddenly reddened.

He turned his head away and blinked hard a few times, but in the end, he didn't let the moisture fall.

"But good officials don't live long."

The shadow on the memorial tablet flickered, as if someone was sighing silently.

Then the candle wick popped open with a crackling sound, creating a small flame, before going out in an instant.

Shen Chuxiao turned around, his gaze falling on Shen Qiao's face as he carefully examined the young man.

With sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, his features were strong and defined, yet a lingering melancholy hung between his brows—a trace of deep-seated hatred.

"So, you're one of Lord Wang's former subordinates?"

"I am an orphan adopted by Lord Wang, or rather—his godson."

He smiled, his eyes softening as if recalling the past.

"My life was given to me by Lord Wang. Without him, I would have rotted in that stinking ditch in the capital long ago."

Shen Chuxiao didn't reply, but just listened quietly.

"That's why I want to avenge him."

Shen Qiao's tone suddenly turned cold. "After Lord Wang was killed, I fled the capital with his former subordinates and family, secretly following Miss all the way to Ling Shuang Pass. You should know what happened after that."

Shen Chuxiao nodded.

He was able to marry Wang Yilu entirely because of the absurdity of marrying the daughter of a disgraced official to a lazy man on the frontier—it was like a ridiculous dream.

But it was precisely this absurdity that connected him with the Wang family and Shen Qiao, like an invisible thread tightly binding their lives together.

"So, the person who broke into Ling Shuang Pass prison that night and killed Zhou Henian and Zhao Chongyuan was you?"

Shen Qiao did not deny it, a smile of pleasure curling at the corner of her lips, a mixture of hatred and satisfaction that had been suppressed for too long.

"Of course, those two scoundrels should have died long ago. It's only because God is blind that they live another day."

"You were the one who came to my rooftop to test me?"

"That's me too."

Shen Qiao said frankly, without any intention of dodging, "I deliberately left that jade pendant behind to see your reaction. Whether you are loyal or treacherous, human or ghost, we'll find out soon enough."

Shen Chuxiao took out the piece of green jade from his pocket and handed it over.

"Here you go."

Shen Qiao did not answer.

"Keep it."

"As for Miss... it's inconvenient for me to show myself. Consider this jade pendant a token from me to her. Tell her that the old members of the Wang family are still alive. Tell her that there are still people in this world who remember how Lord Wang died, and that there are still people waiting for that day."

Shen Chuxiao put the jade pendant back.

Just as he was about to speak again, the door to the stone chamber was suddenly kicked open.

Black Tiger rushed in, looking anxious.

"Shen Qiao! Something's happened!"

Seeing his reckless manner, Shen Qiao said with displeasure, "What's wrong? Why are you so flustered? Has the Great Jing border army invaded?"

"They're not border soldiers, they're barbarians!"

Black Tiger's voice changed: "Dozens of people have arrived, heading straight for the valley where the refugees are! At their pace, they can get there in half a day!"

Shen Chuxiao's expression changed drastically, and his pupils contracted sharply.

"How many people? Which tribe?"

Black Tiger shook his head, panting heavily: "I don't know, but it's definitely not a scattered cavalry force, but a well-organized unit!"

Barbarians?

cavalry?

A thought flashed through Shen Chuxiao's mind.

He had just left the pass to investigate the robbery of the grain supplies when some barbarians came along following his lead—what a coincidence!

It's likely that news of their departure was deliberately leaked.

The purpose, of course, was not those refugees.

The refugees had no food or anything of value. Killing a few hundred unarmed elderly, women, and children would do the barbarians no good.

Shen Chuxiao slowly turned his head, his gaze lingering on Shen Qiao's face.

He suddenly felt as if he had been tricked or schemed against.

Shen Qiao met his gaze and instinctively looked away. Her lips moved several times, as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately no sound came out.

Black Tiger was extremely anxious.

He slammed his fist into the stone wall. "Shen Qiao, let's go!"

His voice was almost a shout.

"What are you all standing there for? There are hundreds of people in that ditch, the old, the weak, women and children, they can't even run! One tramp from the barbarians' horses and they won't even leave a single corpse intact! If we don't get over there soon, they're finished!"

After shouting, he suddenly turned his head and stared intently at Shen Chuxiao.

Those eyes held no more hatred or resentment, only the burning anxiety of someone on the verge of madness—red, scalding, like charcoal roasting over a fire.

"You're a border soldier," Black Tiger said, his voice hoarse, enunciating each word clearly. "What do you mean?"

Shen Chuxiao did not hesitate.

He turned and left.

"Where are you going?"

"Save people."

Are you alone?

Shen Qiao's voice rose a few decibels, carrying a hint of disbelief, and even a trace of inexplicable...guilt.

Shen Chuxiao didn't stop walking and pushed open the door to go out.

Outside the stone chamber, a cold wind carrying snowflakes lashed at my face, cutting like knives and stinging painfully.

"Tie Niu! Er Gou!"

"exist!"

Two figures rose up in response, like two swords drawn from their sheaths.

"Let's go, let's kill someone!"

The three had only taken a few steps when they heard heavy footsteps behind them.

Black Tiger chased after them, clutching the two battle axes in his hands.

"I'll go too."

Shen Chuxiao glanced at him.

That glance was faint, as faint as the crescent moon on the horizon.

"You were about to kill me just now."

Black Tiger grinned, but the ferocity in his eyes had vanished.

"That happened just now." He gripped the axe handle tightly, his knuckles cracking. "When it comes to killing barbarians, I'm on your side."

Tie Niu couldn't help but interject, "Now you're saying you're all in cahoots? Where's your shame?"

Black Tiger glared at him, his voice booming like thunder: "Are you going or not? If not, get out!"

Tie Niu grunted.

He slung the knife over his shoulder and stood behind Shen Chuxiao.

Shen Chuxiao did not say another word.

He turned and walked towards the canyon exit.

The wind pushed against him from behind, making his robes flutter loudly. His back was thin and stiff, like a long spear stuck in the wind and snow.

Behind them, more and more members emerged from the tents.

They heard the news—they didn't know who spread it, but everyone heard it. One by one, they silently drew their swords and silently joined the ranks.

No one spoke, only the sound of a blade being drawn.

Not a single person backed down.

Shen Qiao stood at the entrance of the stone chamber.

I looked up and glanced at the large flag planted next to me.

The wind was so strong that the flag was stretched taut and fluttered loudly, making the words on it seem to come alive and surge—

Jingnan.

That was the flag they raised when they fled the capital.

Having pacified the land, I look south towards my homeland.

But their homeland no longer wants them.

The imperial court issued arrest warrants, and notices were posted in every prefecture and county, with their heads clearly listed for price. They were bandits, rebels, and a thorn in the side of the imperial court.

But what wrong did those ordinary people do?

They cannot die at the hands of barbarians because of people like themselves.

"Shen Chuxiao, I'm sorry for what I did to you this time, but killing barbarians... I'll risk my life for it."