Shiliting

The Allied Army left the Great Wall fortress and marched south.

They had won, yet there was no joy to celebrate. The combined forces of the three allies, hundreds of thousands strong, traveled together.

At sunset, autumn grass grew around the desolate pavilion. The cold wind blew bleakly, and the endless procession stretched for dozens of li. Bai Yujun rode her tall Black Horse along the side of the column, a knitted scarf wrapped around her slender neck, a thick cloak of long white fur covering her petite frame.

The farther south they went, the lighter the snow became. By the time they neared the Yan Kingdom capital, the snow had vanished entirely, leaving only withered yellow grass.

Zhe ChangGong invited Bai Yujun and the High Priest of Jiuli to visit the capital. Bai Yujun said she was in a hurry to return to the Southern Wastes, while the High Priest, having a poor impression of Central Plains people, refused outright.

Minister Zhe had only mentioned it out of courtesy. Seeing there was no point in pressing the matter, he let it drop.

They traveled without pause...

From horseback, they could already see the towering walls of the Yan Kingdom capital. Yet all Bai Yujun saw was a setting sun sinking behind the western hills. Beneath its gaudy surface, the ancient capital resembled a huge scarlet coffin, reeking of decay, like a dying old man on his last legs.

She turned back to look at the army following Zhe ChangGong. It stood in stark contrast to the capital's aura, but... it would likely be unable to withstand the corrosion of that rotten atmosphere.

Zhe ChangGong's carriage was not far away. Bai Yujun urged Black Horse closer and rode alongside it.

Black Horse was bored stiff and found pulling a carriage