Destined Hearts of Mu and Yu (GL) - Chapter 48

Qin Mu’s soft whisper brushed against Wei Hanyu’s ear, her voice gentle and clear. A fine layer of sweat rose at the back of Wei Hanyu’s neck, her cheeks tinged faintly red. Only when Qin Mu spoke of her suspicions that there was a traitor within the army did Wei Hanyu snap out of her haze. She turned, her cold eyes narrowing as she studied Qin Mu’s resolute gaze. Remembering how the west gate had fallen earlier that day, her doubts grew. Her lips moved slightly, and she asked in a low voice.

“Mu’er, who do you suspect?”

“To orchestrate such a flawless plan and cover the west gate’s fall, only Vice General Lu Xu could have done it.”

“Him.” Wei Hanyu frowned and paused. Impossible, the words surfaced in her heart. Lu Xu had fought at her side for many years, always loyal and steadfast, risking his life to protect her time and again. Though he had been irritable lately and deserved some caution, to accuse him of colluding with the desert army—she could not bring herself to believe it. Casting Qin Mu a look, she said calmly.

“If it is Lu Xu, he does have the authority to do such a thing, but what motive?”

Her question silenced Qin Mu. She had been focused on who had the power to help the desert army breach the gate but had not considered why. Indeed, Lu Xu had no reason to betray Wei. The desert, for all its brutality, could not compare to Wei in wealth or resources. And Emperor Wei never withheld rewards from the Lu family. Any rare treasure offered to the emperor was always shared with Lu Youwei, and if Lu Youwei desired it, the emperor gave it to him. Lu Xu was honored and respected in Wei—why would he risk his name and future by committing treason with the desert? It made no sense.

Seeing Qin Mu lost in thought, her delicate brows furrowed tightly, Wei Hanyu’s lips curved faintly. She reached out and lightly tapped Qin Mu’s brow. The cool touch startled her awake. Qin Mu looked up, meeting Wei Hanyu’s eyes, luminous as the moon, and in that instant, she was lost.

“Mu’er, the affairs of the army are not yours to carry. No matter what happens, you must stay safe here. Only then can I be at ease.” Wei Hanyu stroked her hair tenderly, her gaze filled with endless warmth. Though her own body was like steel, Qin Mu alone pierced straight through to her weakness. What she feared most was losing her.

“Don’t worry, Sister Hanyu, I’ll take good care of myself,” Qin Mu said firmly, nodding. Yet when she saw the lingering worry in Wei Hanyu’s eyes, her heart trembled. Wei Hanyu’s hand rested gently against her, the touch so soft that the hairs on Qin Mu’s neck stood on end. Her closeness carried the faint fragrance of her hair, intoxicating.

“The golden silk armor I gave you—you’ve been wearing it, haven’t you?” Wei Hanyu asked, brows knit, her tone cool, not realizing how intimate her actions appeared.

Qin Mu swallowed lightly, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, “Whether I wore it or not… why not check for yourself?”

Wei Hanyu, still immersed in her worry, did not immediately catch her meaning. But when her eyes met Qin Mu’s teasing gaze, her face flushed crimson. Her hand, resting against Qin Mu’s chest, recoiled as if scalded. Before she could retreat, Qin Mu’s arms wrapped around her, and her lips pressed to Wei Hanyu’s—soft and insistent, like an oasis in the desert, refusing to let go.

That night, Qin Mu once again kept Wei Hanyu restless till dawn.

***

The following days, the desert forces launched repeated attacks. They sent small units that easily broke through the gates but did not linger, seizing grain before retreating. Despicable as these raids were, they were clever — avoiding direct confrontation where both sides would suffer heavy losses. With its vast lands and resources, the Wei kingdom could recover faster than the desert, so prolonged war would only favor Wei.

But these days of guerrilla warfare left the Wei army exhausted and on edge, nerves stretched taut. Soldiers could not sleep, their morale steadily declining. Each time they pursued the raiders, Wei Hanyu would only chase symbolically before ordering a retreat. To the soldiers, it felt like defeat after defeat, leaving them disheartened.

After seven days of this, at last they heard the long-awaited war drums. The booming echoed across the skies. The pent-up anger of the troops ignited at once. They donned armor, took up weapons, and rushed toward the open ground where the drums thundered.

There they saw Wei Hanyu in silver armor, astride her sweat-bl00d stallion. Behind her, strong men struck the drums with all their might, sweat flying, the sound resounding high and fierce. In an instant, the troops’ spirits soared.

“Are we finally going to battle?” one soldier shouted, his voice trembling with excitement.

Wei Hanyu raised her hand, and the drums fell silent. She swept her gaze seriously across all the gathered troops and asked.

“For what purpose have we come miles to this place?”

“To destroy the desert!” a soldier roared through gritted teeth, clenching his iron staff. His cry was immediately echoed by all.

“Destroy the desert!”

“Destroy the desert!”

Their morale blazed, fury rolling like fire across the sky. The indignities of the past days could finally be avenged.

“15 kilometers to the west lies the desert army’s camp — tens of thousands of troops, well-rested and ready. Can we win?”

“We can!”

“We can!” The thunderous shouts shook the heavens. At last they would not merely defend or chase in vain — now they could strike first. No matter how fierce the enemy, they would grit their teeth and fight to the death.

Wei Hanyu drew her sword, its silver light gleaming, pointing straight westward. Watching the mighty Wei army march forth, Qin Mu stood atop the city wall, her eyes fixed on Wei Hanyu’s departing figure, praying silently for her safety.

In the days that followed, the city felt empty — as empty as Qin Mu’s heart. Many times she longed to follow the army’s tracks, but with all the horses taken, to pursue on foot was impossible. Each morning she stood upon the wall, gazing westward, longing for Wei Hanyu’s return.

One noon, while she was eating with the soldiers left behind, the sound of hooves came from outside the city. She set down her bowl and chopsticks at once, her eyes bright. A nearby soldier looked at her puzzled. Qin Mu forced down her excitement, pretending calm as she continued eating.

Not long after, shouts rang out inside the city: “The Princess has returned victorious!”

The soldiers leapt up and rushed outside. Only Qin Mu remained seated, silently shoveling rice into her mouth, her eyes already red though no one noticed.

When everyone else had gone, she stood and walked out. In the center of the crowd she saw Wei Hanyu, thinner after more than ten days, her right arm bound in bandages. Was she wounded? Qin Mu frowned deeply, worry gnawing at her. She longed to push through the crowd, to throw her arms around her and tell her how much she had worried these days, how every morning she had waited on the wall, looking west until her eyes ached.

That night, bonfires blazed outside the city. The people brought out their best wine and meat to reward the soldiers for defeating the desert forces. The celebration was joyous.

But after drinking only a few cups of tea in place of wine, Wei Hanyu left early, weary from days of campaigning. When she returned to her quarters, she found Qin Mu pacing restlessly inside. Their eyes met, brimming with longing. Qin Mu’s eyes were wet with unshed tears, and Wei Hanyu’s trembling lips betrayed her own restraint. Qin Mu rushed forward and embraced her, crying “Sister Hanyu!” At those words, Wei Hanyu’s last defenses crumbled; her eyes reddened too.

They sat together by candlelight, Qin Mu gripping Wei Hanyu’s hand tightly, as though afraid she might vanish if she blinked. She listened intently as Wei Hanyu recounted the past ten days. The desert troops, skilled in desert warfare and well-rested, had fought fiercely at first. But unprepared for Wei’s sudden offensive, they were caught off guard and routed. Yet their iron cavalry leader escaped, a hidden danger Wei Hanyu knew would cause trouble in the future.

“Sister Hanyu, you’re amazing! Pretending to let them raid the city, holding back each time, while sending scouts to track their direction, finding their camp, then launching a surprise attack. No wonder they were completely caught off guard!” Qin Mu praised, giving a thumbs-up.

Wei Hanyu chuckled softly, tapped Qin Mu’s nose, and said.

“The desert army’s strength is not equal to ours. As long as we stay calm and unshaken, victory is ours.”

“But your arm — what happened?” Qin Mu frowned, seeing the faint bl00d seeping from her bandaged wound, her heart aching.

“In war, small injuries are unavoidable. It’s nothing.” Wei Hanyu smiled gently, lifting her hand to caress Qin Mu’s cheek with a sigh.

“While I was away, you didn’t eat properly, did you?”

Qin Mu raised her eyes, knowing she could not hide it, and nodded.

“Sister Hanyu, I was so worried about you,” she said, her eyes turning red again.

“Fool.” Wei Hanyu laughed softly, tapped her forehead, and wiped her tears with her fingertip.

“When we return to the capital, the first thing I’ll do is order the imperial kitchen to make you nourishing meals every day.”

Qin Mu stuck out her tongue playfully and wrapped her arms around her waist, looking up at her enchanting smile. Her heart soared. She pinched her own cheek to see if it hurt, yelping softly but still grinning. Wei Hanyu frowned in confusion.

“Mu’er, what are you doing?”

“I wanted to see if I was dreaming.” Qin Mu laughed.

“Fool.” Wei Hanyu sighed again. Qin Mu burrowed into her embrace, and Wei Hanyu’s heart melted. She stroked Qin Mu’s hair, reluctant to let her go.

“Will we be able to return to the capital soon?” Qin Mu asked with excitement.

“Yes.” Wei Hanyu nodded, kissing her smooth forehead and pinching her nose with a smile.

“Finally, we can go back.” Qin Mu sighed with relief.

“Do you look forward to it so much?” Wei Hanyu asked, noticing her eased expression.

“Of course. Back in the palace, I won’t have to sneak around to see you.” Qin Mu smiled at her, her eyes full of sweetness. They gazed at each other, their world filled with warmth and happiness.

But while the two shared tender words, Lu Xu sat alone outside the city wall, drinking gloomily. Suddenly, a cold voice spoke:

“General Lu, such leisure — drinking alone after victory.”

Startled, Lu Xu looked up, only to feel a cold dagger pressed against his neck. One slash would spill his bl00d like a fountain. Yet he showed no fear, only surprise, carefully studying the man. Though dressed in Wei armor, his features were more foreign, his deep-set eyes filled with exotic allure.

“Princess Qin, seeing you safe puts my heart at ease,” Lu Xu said with relief. Qin Ling sneered coldly, lowering her dagger.

“What use is my safety, when tens of thousands of our brothers’ lives are gone? Who will answer for them?”

“As long as you live, Princess, all can still be planned.” Lu Xu rose, his eyes flashing with determination.

“To help you capture Wei Hanyu, I’ve already lost thirty thousand men. There’s no need to discuss further. I came only to tell you — our agreement is void.” Qin Ling’s eyes, colder than the moonlight, pierced him to the bone.

But Lu Xu spread his palm, showing five fingers.

Qin Ling narrowed her eyes, her anger easing slightly, suspicion flickering in her gaze.

“If you help me capture Wei Hanyu, I will grant you five cities in exchange.”

“Hmph. If the Wei Emperor truly loses his beloved daughter, the day the desert is destroyed will not be far.” Qin Ling sneered.

“With Wei Hanyu gone, the military power will be in my hands. What do you fear?” Lu Xu arched his brow, his voice confident.

“You truly want to kill Wei Hanyu?” Qin Ling raised a brow, doubtful.

“No. I want everyone to believe she’s dead. That way, she will belong to me alone.” Lu Xu’s sinister smile chilled Qin Ling. She had always sensed his scheming nature, ruthless in his pursuit of Wei Hanyu. But for her own interests, she chose to ally with him. When Lu Xu beckoned, Qin Ling, though despising his methods, leaned closer to hear his plan. Under the night sky, a web of conspiracy closed in.