Nine Nights Owl Song

April 18th, the eighteenth year of Yong'an.

Luoyang, the imperial city.

Before the news of the Second Prince's punishment had even cooled down, an urgent message arrived from the border.

The western border is in dire straits—Qiang leader Helian Tieshu has assembled an army of 100,000, breached Yumen Pass, and captured three cities in succession. The western border garrison has been routed and has retreated to Liangzhou.

The military governor of the western border was killed in battle, and his head was hung on the flagpole of the Qiang camp.

When the memorial was delivered to Emperor Yong'an, the entire court was in an uproar.

The Qiang people were a major threat to the western border of Daliang.

After a decade of recuperation, they are now making a comeback.

The 100,000-strong army was no exaggeration; it was a real, formidable cavalry force. The Qiang cavalry were renowned throughout the land, moving with the speed of the wind, and the infantry of the Great Liang were like paper before them.

Great court meeting.

Emperor Yong'an slammed the folding tablet onto the dragon table. The sound wasn't loud, but the dull thud struck everyone's heart.

"A hundred thousand troops broke through Yumen Pass and captured three cities in succession. The military governor of the Western Frontier died in battle. Where are my generals? Where are my troops? What have the military pay I allocate to the Western Frontier every year produced?" No one in the ranks of military officers dared to raise their heads.

The military governor of the western border was the second prince's man; soldiers were generals, and generals were soldiers. Their fates were intertwined, one prospered while the other suffered.

No one dared to bring it up. The Second Prince was still in confinement, but his influence remained.

An eerie silence fell over the imperial court.

The Crown Prince stepped forward. "Father, I am willing to lead the troops into battle to share your burdens."

Emperor Yong'an looked at him.

Crown Prince Xiao Jingrui, a civil official by profession, had never fought a war. He had never led a battalion of even a thousand men, let alone ten thousand Qiang cavalry. His trip to the western border was not to defend against the enemy, but to his death.

"You may leave." The crown prince stepped back.

The fourth prince stepped forward and said, "Your subject recommends a person—Marquis Dingyuan, Su Zhentian."

Su Zhentian is the descendant of a famous general. He guarded the northern border and defeated the Yan Yun Iron Cavalry. He has the talent of a commander.

He went to the western border, and the Qiang people were no longer a threat.

The court was filled with echoes of agreement; the Marquis of Dingyuan's prestige was indeed unmatched.

Emperor Yong'an looked at Su Zhentian.

"Lord Dingyuan, what do you say?"

Su Zhentian stepped forward and knelt down.

"I am willing to go."

After the court session ended, Su Jiuge waited for her father outside the palace gate.

Su Zhentian walked out, his expression grave.

Su Jiuge asked, "Are you going to the Western Border?"

Su Zhentian nodded.

"There's no one capable in the court. The Crown Prince is incapable of fighting, the Second Prince is in confinement, the Fourth Prince has never fought a battle, and the Sixth Prince—you know his reputation in the court."

Su Jiuge remained silent for a moment.

"I'll go with you."

Su Zhentian looked at her.

"no."

Why?

"You are the Sixth Prince's Consort, not a general. You are the head of the Dark Pavilion, not a court official." Su Zhentian's voice was low and deep.

"Fighting is not your business."

Su Jiuge looked into his eyes.

"You are my father."

Su Zhentian remained silent.

"You are my father. If you have to go to the battlefield, I can't let you go alone."

Su Zhentian stared at her for a long time, his eyes slightly reddening.

Finally, he said, "I'll discuss it with your mother." He then turned and got into the carriage.

Su Jiuge stood still as Shen Qing emerged from the shadows. "Sect Leader, are you going to the Western Border?"

Su Jiuge said, "Go and prepare."

Shen Qing clasped his hands in a fist salute. "Yes."

Prince Zhao's Mansion.

Xiao Yan waited for Su Jiuge in his study.

A map of the western border was spread out in front of him, drawn overnight by the intelligence personnel of Qianji Tower. It contained everything about the Qiang people's troop deployment, food supply lines, and a list of generals.

Su Jiuge walked in and glanced at the map.

"You already know."

Xiao Yan nodded: "Two days earlier than the court session."

Su Jiuge sat down opposite him and looked at the map.

The Jade Gate Pass fell, three cities were lost, and the western border garrison was routed.

One hundred thousand Qiang cavalry surged into the territory of the Great Liang like a tidal wave. Further east lay Liangzhou; once Liangzhou fell, the gateway to Guanzhong was wide open.

Luoyang is in grave danger.

Su Jiuge raised her head and looked at Xiao Yan.

"My father is going to the Western Frontier."

Xiao Yan looked at her.

"You're going too."

Su Jiuge remained silent.

Xiao Yan remained silent for a long time.

He pointed to a location on the map—west of Liangzhou, behind the Qiang ethnic camp.

"If you want to go, I won't stop you. But you have to promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Come back alive."

Su Jiuge looked into his eyes.

Those perpetually sleepy eyes were open now, and there was light in them.

It was something that left her unsure how to face it.

"I promise you," Su Jiuge said.

Xiao Yan lowered his head and continued looking at the map.

His voice was soft: "I'll arrange for a few people to go with you."

Su Jiuge said, "Zhao Ying, Shen Qing, and Ghost Hand are coming with me. Faceless will stay in Luojing to oversee the security of Prince Zhao's residence. Your safety is paramount."

Xiao Yan raised his head.

"I don't need anyone to protect me."

"You need it." Su Jiuge looked into his eyes.

"I promised you I'd come back alive, and you promised me you'd live and wait for me."

This was the first time Su Jiuge had said something like this to him.

It's not an order, not a contract, it's a request.

Xiao Yan's fingers lingered on the teacup for a long time.

"Okay, I promise."

In April, the pomegranate trees at Prince Zhao's residence sprouted new buds, a tender, vibrant green.

Su Jiuge stood under the tree, looking up at the leaves.

Zhao Xiaohe peeked half her head out from behind a pillar and whispered to Shen Qing:

"Brother Shen Qing, is Sister Jiu Ge going to fight?"

Shen Qing nodded.

"I want to go too." Zhao Xiaohe's eyes reddened.

"No." Shen Qing's voice was stiff.

Zhao Xiaohe grabbed Shen Qing's sleeve.

"Then I want to go too. I'm not good at martial arts, but I can help. I can bandage the wounded, cook for the soldiers, and so on..." Shen Qing looked at her, and she cried.

Shen Qing remained silent for a long time.

"Go now, don't run around, don't show off, and don't leave my sight." Zhao Xiaohe nodded vigorously and smiled.

Su Jiuge watched them from under the eaves, her lips twitching slightly—something she herself couldn't quite put her finger on.

Zhao Ying peeked out from behind the moon gate, saw this scene and grinned from ear to ear. He patted Shen Qing on the shoulder and said, "Great job, brother."

Shen Qing looked at him coldly and said, "Get out."

Zhao Ying laughed and rolled away.

The April wind blew across the eaves of the Prince Zhao's mansion.

Su Jiuge stood under the pomegranate tree, Shen Qing stood under the corridor, Zhao Xiaohe tugged at his sleeve, and Zhao Ying peeked out from behind the moon gate.

With war imminent, the western barbarians invaded, and 100,000 iron cavalrymen were at the city gates.

Su Jiuge is going to war.

It wasn't an assassination; it was a real battle—strategizing, attacking cities and seizing territory, and two armies facing off.

She's never fought before, but she's not afraid.

April 19th, the eighteenth year of Yong'an.

Luoyang, the imperial city.

Su Jiuge stood outside the Imperial Study, waiting for Gao Dequan to announce her arrival.

Today she wore a dark blue close-fitting outfit, with a straight sword hanging at her waist, her hair tied in a braid, and she wore no jewelry.

She didn't come to pay her respects or express gratitude; she came to demand an identity.

Su Zhentian discussed things with the Shen family all night yesterday.

Madam Shen didn't want her daughter to go to the battlefield; what mother would want that? But she didn't stop her because she knew she couldn't.

Once Su Jiuge is determined to go, no one can stop her, not even the emperor.

Su Zhentian said that she could go, but not as the "Sixth Prince's Consort".

The Sixth Prince's wife is a member of the royal family and a female relative, so she cannot serve in the military.

She needed an identity—an identity that allowed her to issue orders in the military and command the respect of her soldiers.

Su Jiuge went inside.

Emperor Yong'an sat behind his dragon desk, with a map of the western border spread out in front of him.

His complexion was worse than a few days ago; his eyes were dark and his lips were purple, making him look several years older.

With 100,000 Qiang cavalry pressing in, he couldn't sleep.

"You've come." Emperor Yong'an's voice was deep.

"I knew you would come."

Su Jiuge bowed and looked at Emperor Yong'an.

"Your Majesty, I request permission to lead an expedition."

Emperor Yong'an remained silent for a moment.

"You are the Sixth Prince's consort, not a general."

"I know. That's why I've come to ask Your Majesty to grant me an identity."

Emperor Yong'an looked into her eyes. There was no fear or hesitation in those bright black eyes, only a light he had seen before—the light he had seen in Su Zhentian's eyes, and the light he had seen in the eyes of those generals who had sacrificed their lives for the country.

That was the look in a military general's eyes—fearless of everything, except living a cowardly life.

"What kind of identity do you want?"

"Supervisor of the army."

Emperor Yong'an's eyebrows twitched slightly.

The military supervisor, representing the emperor, oversaw generals and military affairs, and sometimes wielded more power than the commander-in-chief.

Historically, military supervisors were always eunuchs; there has never been a woman in that role, let alone a seventeen-year-old woman.

Emperor Yong'an looked at her.

Do you know what a military supervisor does?

Su Jiuge said, "Supervise the generals, oversee military affairs, and report directly to His Majesty. If a general disobeys the supervising officer, the supervising officer can replace him on the eve of battle."

Emperor Yong'an nodded; he knew she had done her homework.

"Aren't you afraid your father will be unhappy? The military supervisor is the emperor's eyes and ears. Your father is the commander-in-chief. If you supervise his troops, people will gossip."

Su Jiuge's voice was calm.

"I am not afraid. I am going to the Western Frontier not to supervise the army, but to fight. Supervising the army is just a title, a title that allows me to speak in the army. If Your Majesty grants me this title, I will guard the Western Frontier for Your Majesty. If Your Majesty does not grant it, I will go as a commoner."

Emperor Yong'an leaned back in his chair.

Are you threatening me?

"I am telling the truth."

Emperor Yong'an looked at Su Jiuge.

She was not afraid of death, not afraid of him, not afraid of anyone.

She is Night Owl, the head of the Dark Pavilion, the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan, and the sixth prince's wife.

Either identity would be enough for her to do whatever she wanted. She didn't need him to give her an identity, but she asked for it anyway—she followed the rules.

The emperor's edict to the military supervisor proclaimed to the world that Su Jiuge's journey to the Western Frontier was now perfectly legitimate.

"Granted."

Su Jiuge knelt down and kowtowed.

"Your Majesty, I thank you."

Emperor Yong'an picked up the vermilion brush to draft the decree. His hand trembled slightly, but the characters were still written very neatly.

After drafting the edict, he affixed the imperial seal and handed it to Su Jiuge.

"I am entrusting the western border to you."

Su Jiuge accepted the imperial edict with both hands.

"This humble woman will certainly not fail in her mission."

She stood up and turned around, and behind her came the voice of Emperor Yong'an. "Su Jiuge, the sixth prince came to the palace last night. He knelt before me, begging me not to let you go."

Su Jiuge's fingers tightened slightly.

"I asked him why, and he said he was afraid you wouldn't be able to come back."

Emperor Yong'an's voice was old and weary.

"In my life, I've seen many people go to the battlefield. Some are afraid of death, some are not. The sixth prince isn't afraid of your death; he's afraid of your absence."

Emperor Yong'an waved his hand.

"Go. Come back alive."

Su Jiuge walked out of the imperial study, holding the imperial edict in her hand. "Supervisor, Western Border."

She walked out of the palace gate, where Shen Qing was waiting for her. Zhao Ying leaned against the carriage, basking in the sun.

Seeing her come out, Zhao Ying straightened up.

"How is it?"

Su Jiuge held up the imperial edict.

"Supervisor, Western Border."

Zhao Ying grinned.

"Master, you are even more capable than I imagined."

Su Jiuge boarded the carriage.

A man sat in the carriage—Xiao Yan.

He was wearing a moon-white casual outfit, his hair was a little messy, and he had dark circles under his eyes, indicating that he hadn't slept all night.

Su Jiuge sat down opposite him, and the two remained silent for a long time.

"You've entered the palace," Su Jiuge said first.

"Um."

"Please, Your Majesty, don't send me." Xiao Yan lowered his head.

"Um."

"You're afraid I won't come back."

Xiao Yan did not answer, but took out a brocade pouch from his sleeve and handed it to her.

"Open it when you reach the Western Territory. Inside are all the contact methods for the Thousand Machine Pavilion in the Western Territory. If you encounter any difficulties, contact them. Their help to you is their help to me."

Su Jiuge took the brocade pouch and stuffed it into her waistband.

"Anything else?"

Xiao Yan remained silent for a moment.

"Yes. Once you reach the Western Frontier, write me a letter every day. It doesn't need to be long, just a few words will do."

"Tell me where you are, what you're doing, and if you're hurt." His voice was very soft.

"Su Jiuge, I know you don't need me to worry, but I am worried. Can you please stop making me worry?"

Su Jiuge remained silent.

She looked at him—there were dark circles under his eyes, and he had bluish-gray stubble on his chin; his voice was somewhat strained.

He wasn't talking to the Pavilion Master, nor was he talking to the Princess; he was talking to Su Jiuge.

"Okay. Write every day. Where are you, what are you doing, are you hurt?"

Su Jiuge paused for a moment, then said, "You write too."

Xiao Yan looked at her.

"Write it down too: where you are, what you're doing, and whether you're injured. If you write it down, I won't worry anymore."

Xiao Yan suddenly smiled.

As she laughed, her eyes welled up with tears; that smile looked worse than crying.

The carriage stopped at the entrance of Prince Zhao's residence.

Su Jiuge got off the carriage, and Xiao Yan followed behind her.

The two walked into the palace side by side, neither of them speaking.

Uncle Wang greeted them at the door, and when he saw the imperial edict in Su Jiu's hand, he didn't ask any questions.

The next day, Su Jiuge went to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence.

Madam Shen was making osmanthus cakes in the kitchen. She was making a lot so that her daughter could take them to the Western Region.

Su Jiuge stood at the kitchen doorway, watching Shen Shi's busy figure.

"Mother, don't do it anymore, we can't carry that many."

Shen did not turn around.

"You can take it. It won't break if you leave it in the car."

Su Jiuge walked in and stood next to Shen Shi.

Shen's hands were kneading dough; her wrists were a little swollen because she hadn't slept well last night.

Her shoulders were trembling slightly as she kneaded the dough; she wasn't crying, she was holding it in.

"Mother, I promise you, I will come back."

Shen's hand stopped.

She looked up at Su Jiuge, her eyes filled with tears, but they didn't fall.

"You promised your father, you promised the Sixth Prince, and you promised your mother." She held Su Jiuge's hand and squeezed it repeatedly.

Su Jiuge did not pull her hand away.

The old drunkard sat in the main hall, a plate of osmanthus cake in front of him, but he didn't eat a single bite.

Su Jiuge walked in and called out, "Old Drunkard."

The old drunkard looked up at her. "Girl, when you were seven, you went to the south of the city to find me and saw me lying in that dead-end alley."

Su Jiuge nodded.

"You were only this tall back then," the old drunkard gestured with his hand.

"You knelt down in front of me, tears welling up in your eyes but not falling. You said you'd take me home. I said I couldn't walk anymore, and you said you'd carry me on your back. You were seven years old then, a seven-year-old carrying an adult."

Su Jiuge looked at him.

Tears streamed down the old drunkard's face.

"Girl, promise me you won't die. If you die, all those years I've lived will have been for nothing."

Su Jiuge squatted down in front of him and held his hand.

I promise you.

The old drunkard wiped his tears with his sleeve.

Su Jiuge stood up and walked out of the main hall.

Su Chengzhi was waiting for her in the courtyard. He was dressed in a dark blue official robe, with a long sword hanging at his waist, and his face was resolute.

"Big brother, please take good care of things at home while I'm away."

Su Chengzhi nodded.

"The western border is cold, so bring more clothes." He took something out of his pocket and handed it to her—a dagger, smaller and lighter, more suitable for hiding in a boot.

"For self-defense."

Su Jiuge took the dagger and stuffed it into her boot.

"it is good."

Su Chengen, Su Chengxun, and Su Wan'er all came to see him off.

Su Chengen brought a whole box of medicine, including wound medicine, antidote, and cold-dispelling medicine, which filled the entire box.

Su Chengxun presented him with a calligraphy scroll, which read "Return in Triumph".

Su Wan'er gave him a bright red cloak that she had sewn herself, which could block the wind.

Su Jiuge took it and draped it over her shoulders.

Su Wan'er's tears fell.

"Wearing my cloak is like having me by your side," Su Jiuge said.

The expeditionary force departed from the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence and headed towards the west gate.

Su Jiuge rode at the head of the procession on horseback.

Shen Qing followed three steps behind, Zhao Ying walked beside Shen Qing, and Zhao Xiaohe was arranged to sit in the carriage and looked out through the curtain.

Ghost Hand and his men from the Dark Pavilion waited outside the city, while Faceless stayed behind to guard the Prince Zhao's residence in Luoyang.

Su Jiuge turned around and glanced back.

At the entrance of the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence, Madam Shen stood there, Uncle Fu stood beside her, and the old drunkard stood on the threshold, holding a wine gourd in his hand.

Su Chengzhi, Su Chengen, Su Chengxun, and Su Wan'er stood on the steps. Su Jiuge watched them for a long time, then turned around and rode off.

Xiao Yan did not come to see him off.

He didn't come, and Su Jiuge knew why—he was afraid he would stop her, afraid he would say "Don't go," and afraid he would lose his composure in public.

Su Jiuge did not turn around.

She was afraid she would see him watching her from some corner and wouldn't be able to resist stopping.

The procession exited through the west gate.

The flames of war in Liangzhou burn in the distance.

On April 20th of the 18th year of Yong'an, Su Jiuge set out to conquer the western border. She was the Sixth Prince's Consort, the military supervisor, and the head of the Dark Pavilion.

Her name will be etched in the land of the West.