Chapter 125: Yixiao Confesses

Ning Fei's heart, which had been suspended in anxious uncertainty, finally settled when Xia Jingshi arrived under the escort of the General of Agile Cavalry. Xiao Weiran hurried forward and bowed deeply. "Your Highness—"

Before he could finish, Xia Jingshi helped him up. "Rise. Your injuries..."

"As long as Your Highness is safe, this humble servant is of no concern." Xiao Weiran's voice carried equal parts relief and agitation. His eyes instinctively flickered toward the group of military generals behind Xia Jingshi, and his expression suddenly shifted to alarm. "Your Highness, why are there so few of you? Where are Yixiao and Ning Fei?"

"Yixiao is with Feng Suige. As for Ning Fei, we didn't have enough horses, so he and some of the men split from us after leaving the Holy City. The Guardian General has already dispatched cavalry to search for them. We should receive news within a few days." Xia Jingshi turned his gaze to the Lucheng soldiers gradually gathering around them. "You've all worked hard."

A wounded military general, still clumsily tearing at the bandages on his head, ran over just in time to hear the last remark. Wiping away the blood trickling from his forehead to the corner of his eye, he declared loudly, "Your Highness, don't stand on ceremony with us! Just give the word, and we'll crush not just the Holy City, but even Vermilion Sand Country for you!"

His words drew a burst of laughter from the crowd, and even Xia Jingshi couldn't help but smile. "Even if we're to crush them, we must first tend to your wounds. Speaking of which, have all the injured been treated?"

"Yes." Xiao Weiran hesitated slightly, his voice strained. "But some were too severely wounded and have already... passed. A few others may not last the night."

Seeing Xia Jingshi's somber expression, he tactfully changed the subject. "Your Highness, how did the Piao Cavalry arrive? Judging by the banners, they were dispatched by the Guardian General, weren't they?"

At the question, Xia Jingshi seemed lost in thought for a moment before nodding. "You could say that. Weiran, I need you to do something for me. Once Yixiao and Feng Suige return from the mountain, lead everyone to the nearest town and ensure the wounded receive medical attention as quickly as possible."

Xiao Weiran looked at him in surprise. "Your Highness won't be coming with us?"

"No." Xia Jingshi cast a distant, complicated glance toward the horizon where a purple hue still lingered. "There are matters I must settle. After that, whether the outcome is good or bad... I leave it to fate."

---

The sky, clear in the morning, had gradually darkened with layers of rain clouds by afternoon. After visiting all the wounded soldiers, Xiao Weiran stepped out of the last makeshift medical tent and suddenly froze, his gaze fixed on a distant point. After a moment's hesitation, he walked toward it.

A faintly red maple tree was the only adornment in the otherwise barren courtyard. Beneath it now stood a solitary figure in red. Xiao Weiran approached quietly and called softly, "Yixiao?"

"Ah, Weiran!" Startled, Yixiao—who had been crouching under the tree digging at the dirt with a hairpin—jumped up. After a pause, she gestured toward the medical tents with her chin. "How are they?"

"Some are lightly injured, some more serious, but they're all recovering." Xiao Weiran answered with a smile.

"That's good." Yixiao's lips curved into a smile as she carelessly tucked the hairpin back into her hair.

With a soft exclamation, Xiao Weiran swiftly snatched the hairpin from her hand, carefully wiped off the dirt, then handed it back to her with a gentle scolding. "You're already so grown up. How can you still be this untidy?"

"I like it this way. Is that not allowed?" Yixiao retorted defiantly, baring her teeth at him.

Xiao Weiran immediately glared back. After a brief standoff, both burst into laughter simultaneously.

Xiao Weiran coughed while laughing, stopping Yixiao as she moved to pat his back. "It's been so long since we last bickered like this. I really miss it."

"Yes, it's been a long time." Yixiao's eyes crinkled with laughter. "Feels like a lifetime ago."

"Have you ever thought about the future?" Xiao Weiran suddenly asked.

Yixiao looked puzzled. "What future?"

"Feng Xiyang might not make it." Xiao Weiran's tone was calm, almost matter-of-fact. "If she dies, is there a chance you'd return to His Highness's side? Or would you still want to stay in Vermilion Sand Country?"

Yixiao's smile vanished instantly. After hesitating for a long while, she finally whispered, "Weiran, do you know... Feng Xiyang's knife wound was caused by me."

Seeing Xiao Weiran's eyes widen in shock, she hurriedly added, "But it wasn't intentional! I was trying to force the Holy Emperor back up the mountain. I never expected he'd suddenly push Feng Xiyang forward..."

After a long silence, Xiao Weiran's gaze deepened with thought. "You seem to care a lot about Feng Suige."

"Not entirely." Yixiao struggled to articulate her thoughts. "I just feel that if Feng Xiyang dies, he might be in a difficult position. He's always looked after me, protecting me with everything he had when the Lord of the Nation targeted me. But Xiyang is his most beloved sister..."

Xiao Weiran frowned slightly. "Has Feng Suige said anything to you?"

"No." Yixiao glanced at him quickly. "He hasn't said a word."

"Yixiao, I thought we always spoke openly with each other." Xiao Weiran's tone sharpened as he fixed his gaze on her. "Or are you just deceiving yourself?"

"Weiran," Yixiao called softly, pleading with her eyes, but he ignored her and continued. "Or perhaps 'care' isn't even the right word to describe your feelings for him anymore. So rather than letting him say it first, you'd rather say it yourself—is that what you're thinking?"

"I haven't!" Yixiao finally couldn't hold back, her voice breaking in a suppressed cry. "I'm just tired! I don't want to go back there!"

"Yixiao." Xiao Weiran's eyes shifted from clarity to something deeper. "There are tears in your eyes. You never cry."

Yixiao wiped her eyes and found her hand wet. She froze for a moment before suddenly pursing her lips, her voice trembling with barely contained emotion. "I don't know where I should go from here. I used to think the world was vast, but now it seems there's no place left for me."

"If it's truly as you say, you can return to Brocade." Xiao Weiran spoke after a moment's thought, his voice gentle. "Everyone will take good care of you, and we can serve by His Highness's side just like before."

His words, spoken slowly and deliberately, washed over Yixiao like a roaring mountain tide.

"You don't know how much the brothers miss you. You must want to see Ning Fei and Xueying's child born too, don't you? Come back. Treat everything in Su Sha as just a dream. In a few years, you'll forget all about Su Sha, and there'll be no trace of Feng Suige left in your life..."

Her breath caught until the pain in her lungs became unbearable. Only then did Yixiao faintly regain her voice. "Weiran, I think... I can't go back. You're right. I might... really... have fallen for him..."

Xiao Weiran listened quietly, the corners of his lips curling up slightly. He reached out to wipe away her falling tears and whispered, "What a silly girl."

---

Note

This chapter marks a crucial emotional turning point as Yixiao finally confronts and admits her true feelings for Feng Suige. The chapter beautifully parallels two different kinds of homecoming—Xia Jingshi's political return to claim his throne, and Yixiao's internal struggle about where she truly belongs.

Xia Jingshi's brief appearance establishes that he's choosing duty over safety, returning to the Imperial City to settle matters regarding his parents' murders despite the uncertainty of what awaits him. His cryptic farewell—"I leave it to fate"—suggests he understands this path may cost him dearly.

The heart of the chapter lies in the conversation between Yixiao and Xiao Weiran beneath the maple tree. Weiran, who clearly cares deeply for Yixiao, gently but persistently pushes her to acknowledge what she's been denying: she has fallen in love with Feng Suige. His offer to return to Brocade, framed as a safe haven where she can forget everything and start fresh, forces Yixiao to choose between the familiar comfort of her old life and the uncertain, emotionally risky path with Feng Suige.