Pan Yun turned back. The Imperial Guards choked on their words and instinctively looked to Zhu Qiyu.
As expected, Zhu Qiyu raised a hand to stop the Imperial Guards from rebuking her. He even had someone bring a ladder, then climbed onto the roof to look beyond the city with Pan Yun.
From here, they could only see the brilliant explosions of firearms in midair. Yet the blasts were loud enough to reverberate through the entire city, and even the soldiers' battle cries could be heard.
Zhu Qiyu glanced back and ordered the Imperial Guards to step back—then farther back.
Only when no one remained nearby did he ask Pan Yun, "They all say you snatched my Imperial Brother back."
Pan Yun gave a hum.
"Before that, you went into the enemy camp's main tent to rescue my Imperial Brother, and you saw him."
Pan Yun nodded.
Zhu Qiyu asked, "With your abilities, Daoist master, since you saw my Imperial Brother, why couldn't you save him?"
Pan Yun asked, "Didn't you ask the Imperial Guards and scouts who went with me?"
Zhu Qiyu's shoulders, which had remained straight all along, sagged slightly. Pressing his lips together, he said, "My brother has always been braver than me..."
"Not necessarily," Pan Yun said softly. "You dared come here at such a time, which proves your courage is no less than his. You even dared go to the battlefield, prepared to kill yourself if captured by the enemy. Your valor surpasses his."
Zhu Qiyu looked up at her, unease flickering in his eyes—unease even he had not noticed. "You once declared that I would become an emperor whose name would remain in history. Can I truly be a good emperor?"
Pan Yun's lips curved faintly as she answered with certainty, "You can!"
Zhu