Nine Nights Owl Song

The 10th day of the 7th month of the 18th year of Yong'an.

Luoyang, the imperial city.

Great court meeting.

Emperor Yong'an sat on the dragon throne, his face more gloomy than usual.

On the imperial desk lay an urgent dispatch from the northern border, the ink from the frontier still wet, the words carrying the scent of war.

The warlords of the three prefectures of Yan and Yun are fighting amongst themselves, not because of foreign invasion.

The upheaval at the Yanbei camp began with issues concerning food and supplies.

The imperial court has been in arrears with the rations and pay of the northern border garrison for half a year, and the soldiers are suffering from hunger and resentment.

Taking advantage of the situation, several generals instigated the killing of the military supervisor sent by the court and established their own independent regime.

The three prefectures of Yan and Yun were originally the territory of the Zhao brothers. After the deaths of Zhao Tianhu and Zhao Tianbao, the imperial court was never able to completely recover them.

Now, those former subordinates have supported Wang Chongyuan, one of Zhao Tianhu's former generals, as their leader, calling themselves the "Loyal Army," but in reality, they are carving out their own territory.

If things continue like this, the northern border will no longer be the northern border of the Great Liang.

The Minister of War stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, the situation in the northern border is critical. I recommend Marquis Dingyuan, Su Zhentian, to lead the troops to quell the rebellion. Marquis Dingyuan is the descendant of a famous general, has the talent of a commander, and has guarded the northern border for many years." This statement was reasonable, and many people in the court nodded in agreement.

Emperor Yong'an looked at the Minister of War.

"The Marquis of Dingyuan has just returned from the western border, and you want him to go to the northern border again? Of all my generals, only the Marquis of Dingyuan is capable?" The Minister of War choked and knelt down.

The court fell silent.

The Crown Prince stepped forward.

"Father, I am willing to go." Emperor Yong'an looked at him.

"Have you ever led troops? Have you ever fought in a war? Have you ever been to the northern border?" The prince could not answer.

Emperor Yong'an sneered: "If you go, will you quell the rebellion or simply send yourself to the rebels?"

The crown prince, his face flushed, retreated.

The second prince is under house arrest, while the fourth prince has gone to Jiangnan.

There was no one available in the imperial court at the moment.

Emperor Yong'an's gaze fell on Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan stood in the queue, looking down at his toes. He felt that gaze drift over, and although he was prepared, his face remained expressionless—his father had summoned him to the palace, and the two of them had been discussing matters late into the night in the imperial study.

The Emperor spread out a map of the northern border before him, his aged fingers pausing on the locations of the three prefectures of Yan and Yun, his voice like rusty iron grinding against sand: "Sixth Prince, the northern border is in chaos. The Crown Prince wanted to go, but I wouldn't let him. The Second Prince wanted to go, but I wouldn't let him. I'm sending you."

Xiao Yan asked why.

Emperor Yong'an raised his head and looked at him.

"Because you married Su Jiuge." Xiao Yan did not deny it.

Emperor Yong'an put down his vermilion brush and leaned back in his chair.

"I'm worried about you going to the Northern Border alone. I'll be at ease if Su Jiuge goes with you. She has the Dark Pavilion, which has a base in the Northern Border. She also has connections with the Marquis of Dingyuan's family, who have been operating in the Northern Border for many years. She can kill on the battlefield. With her by your side, I'm at ease." Xiao Yan kowtowed.

"Your subject, on behalf of the Sixth Prince's Consort, thanks Your Majesty for your grace."

At the grand court assembly, Xiao Yan stepped forward.

"Father, I wish to go to the northern border."

There was a moment of silence in the court, followed by whispers.

The Sixth Prince, Xiao Yan? That good-for-nothing wastrel? He's going to the Northern Border? Is he going to quell a rebellion or to his death?

Emperor Yong'an looked at him.

"What can you do if you go?"

Xiao Yan raised his head.

"Father, I'm going now, but I won't do anything."

Emperor Yong'an's eyebrows twitched slightly.

"Your subject doesn't understand warfare, politics, or how to deal with warlords. Once I go to the northern border, there's only one thing I can do—to oversee things. The Marquis of Dingyuan has old subordinates there, and the court has loyal ministers. They need a prince to oversee things, a legitimate representative of the court. I may not be able to do much else, but I can certainly oversee things."

Emperor Yong'an nodded.

"Are you going alone?"

Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment, a guilty conscience typical of spoiled young masters showing on his face.

"Father, I wish to bring someone with me."

"Who?"

"The Sixth Prince's Consort, Su Jiuge."

An uproar broke out in the imperial court.

Bringing your wife along when you go to the North to quell a rebellion? That's unheard of.

Xiao Yan's face flushed slightly.

"Father, my martial arts skills are poor, and the northern border is in chaos. I am afraid of dying. Su Jiuge is highly skilled in martial arts, and I only dare to go with her by my side."

Some people in the court couldn't help but laugh out loud, while others held it in.

"A good-for-nothing is a good-for-nothing. He even brought his wife to protect him when he went to the northern border to quell the rebellion." Emperor Yong'an looked at him with no expression on his face.

There was silence for a moment.

"Granted."

After the court session ended, the Crown Prince stopped Xiao Yan at the palace gate.

"Sixth brother, Father actually approved your trip to the Northern Border with Su Jiuge." Xiao Yan smiled.

"Your Highness, I am afraid of dying. I feel more at ease having a bodyguard with me." The Crown Prince looked at him with a complicated expression.

"You're lucky to have married Su Jiuge." Xiao Yan didn't refute it—he was indeed lucky, he admitted.

Prince Zhao's Mansion.

Su Jiuge was practicing her sword skills in the training ground when Xiao Yan returned from the palace, moved a chair, and sat down on the veranda to watch her.

Su Jiuge sheathed her sword.

"What did they say in court?" Xiao Yan asked.

"My father has ordered me to go to the northern border to quell the rebellion."

Su Jiuge looked at him: "You're going?" Xiao Yan nodded.

Su Jiuge remained silent for a moment.

"I'll go with you." Xiao Yan was taken aback.

"You know?" Su Jiuge sheathed the knife.

"You said in court that you were afraid of death and wanted to bring your wife to protect you. The whole city knows about it now."

Xiao Yan rubbed his temples.

He pulled Su Jiuge over and had her sit next to him.

He poured Su Jiuge a cup of tea, but Su Jiuge didn't drink it.

"Father and I have discussed this. He wants me to go to the Northern Border, and you to accompany me. The Crown Prince is being kept too close, and the Second Prince is also restless in confinement. I'll leave the affairs of the court to Bai Yu. We have more important things to do. The suppression of the rebellion in the Northern Border is just a pretext; the real purpose is to take over the military power in the Northern Border."

Xiao Yan unfolded the map.

"After Zhao Tianhu and Zhao Tianbao died, military power in the northern border was fragmented. Wang Chongyuan was a former subordinate of Zhao Tianhu, and he had 30,000 men under his command. The imperial court still had 40,000 loyal officials in the north, but without a leader, they were fighting their own battles. What we need to do is—"

"To incorporate."

Su Jiuge picked up where he left off.

Xiao Yan nodded.

"We will recruit loyal officials of the court and dismantle the rebel forces. Once the northern border is pacified, military power will return to the court. With military power back in the hands of the court, the Crown Prince and the Second Prince will not dare to act rashly."

Su Jiuge looked at the map.

She had been to the three prefectures of Yan and Yun, she had been there when she killed Zhao Tianhu, and she had cut off the head of the general from the command tent guarded by three thousand personal guards.

That was several years ago. Back then, she was a lone assassin risking her life for a mere morsel of food. Now, she's the Sixth Prince's Consort, General Anxi, and the head of the Dark Pavilion, sent to quell a rebellion in the Northern Frontier. The person has changed, the circumstances have changed, but the sword remains the same.

"When are we leaving?" Su Jiuge asked.

Xiao Yan put away the map. "Three days later."

The Marquis of Dingyuan's Residence.

Ms. Shen is making osmanthus cake in the kitchen.

Su Jiuge stood at the door watching Shen Shi's busy figure.

Shen's hands moved slower than before, and her wrists trembled slightly as she kneaded the dough.

Shen asked how long it would take.

Su Jiuge said she didn't know, maybe a few months, maybe half a year. Shen was silent for a moment.

"You've only been back from the West for less than a month, and you're leaving again."

Su Jiuge didn't know how to answer.

Madam Shen put down the dough in her hand and looked at her daughter. She had lost weight, and the scar on her cheekbone had not completely fallen off.

The wind and sand of the western frontier have left their mark on her face; she is only seventeen years old, but her face already shows signs of hardship.

Shen went back to the stove and continued kneading the dough.

"Your father was like that when he was young. He'd be away fighting for months at a time. Your mother would wait at home, and eventually, she got used to it." She paused.

"Jiuge, your mother won't wait for you. She'll cook for you at home; come back and eat."

Su Jiuge's eyes stung a little.

Without waiting for her reply, Shen lowered her head and began kneading the dough.

Three days later, at the gates of Luoyang.

The expedition team was very simple.

Xiao Yan rode on his horse, and Su Jiuge walked beside him.

Shen Qing followed three steps behind, Zhao Ying yawned, Ghost Hand was adjusting the saddle, and Zhao Xiaohe poked her head out of the carriage.

Shen stood at the city gate, holding a food box in her hand.

She walked up to Su Jiuge and handed her the food box.

"Osmanthus cake, to eat on the way."

Su Jiuge took it, and Madam Shen straightened her collar for her.

The old drunkard stood behind Shen, holding a wine gourd in his hand. His cloudy eyes were filled with tears, but they did not fall.

"Girl, it's cold in the North, wear more clothes." Su Jiuge nodded.

Su Zhentian stood at a distance and did not come over, watching from afar as Su Jiuge and her father nodded to each other across the distance.

Su Jiuge mounted her horse.

Xiao Yan dismounted before Su Zhentian and respectfully performed a junior's salute.

"Father-in-law, I'm taking Jiuge to the Northern Border. I assure you, I'll take responsibility for anything that happens there, and I'll guarantee Jiuge's safety. If she gets even a little hurt, I'll pay with my life."

Su Zhentian looked at Xiao Yan.

Everyone says this son-in-law is a good-for-nothing playboy and doesn't deserve his daughter.

He knew he wasn't a waste.

Su Zhentian nodded. "Go."

Xiao Yan mounted his horse, and Su Jiuge rode beside him. The two walked side by side out of the city gate. Su Jiuge glanced back. Shen Shi stood at the city gate, still clutching the unused handkerchief in her hand, the old drunkard held his wine gourd, and Su Zhentian stood still.

She turned around and looked straight ahead.