FID – Chapter 826

Chapter 826: If I Die, Let It Be on the Battlefield

As expected of a seasoned general.

Even though he had never been to the southeastern border before, in just a few short days, he had already mastered the terrain like the back of his hand. Relying on experience alone, he had correctly predicted the direction in which Feng Qingbai would flee.

Their eyes met, but neither made a move.

Only the warhorse, oblivious to human emotion, continued its steady, rhythmic steps.

In the darkness, shadows loomed behind Qin Xiao, a silent aura of death hanging thick in the air.

“Your Highness, have you ever imagined today’s scene?” Qin Xiao asked calmly from atop his horse.

“Never,” Feng Qingbai replied with a faint smile. “I once thought I might cross swords with you in the imperial court, General, but I never imagined that one day I would be cornered by you at the border of a foreign land.”

Qin Xiao patted his horse’s neck, then looked up at the starless sky. “I have served in court for over forty years, and never did I think that I would one day stand here, blocking Your Highness at the border. For years, you’ve seen me as a rival, so let us settle this, once and for all.”

“You’ve spent your life in armor, guarding Nanling’s borders. I always believed that while your thoughts were unfathomable, your loyalty to the nation and the court was unwavering. Have you considered that what you do today could throw our country into chaos, General?” Feng Qingbai’s voice remained calm, his gaze steady. “Is this truly what you want?”

“If Your Highness dies today, I will repay the people of Nanling with my own death,” Qin Xiao said, voice unwavering. With a thunderous clang, his heavy sword—blunt and without an edge—was drawn from its sheath. “Everything I could do for the court, I have already done. Now, allow me this one time to live for myself.”

With a heavy swing of his giant sword, Qin Xiao shouted, “This battle will be fought one-on-one, to the death! All commanders, obey my orders—fall back!”

“General!”

“Retreat!”

Feng Qingbai didn’t move. His gaze swept across the soldiers and horses behind Qin Xiao. Even in the dim light, he could still clearly see the shock and sorrow on the soldiers’ faces, along with their admiration and loyalty to Qin Xiao.

Only Qin Xiao could command the soldiers of the Nanling dynasty to follow his orders without question.

The loyalty and affection the soldiers had for him surpassed their loyalty to the court.

This was something Qin Xiao had earned over decades, through sharing hardships, life-and-death battles, and hardships with these soldiers.

Feng Qingbai said no more.

He couldn’t fully understand what Qin Xiao meant by ‘live for myself’ and how it was connected to wanting to kill him.

But at this moment, to accept the challenge was a sign of respect for this old general.

Simply the fact that Qin Xiao ordered the generals to retreat and engaged him in a one-on-one battle was enough to earn his respect.

Qin Xiao was different from the likes of Consort Liu and Zuo Xiang.

With one hand behind his back and the other gripping his sword, Feng Qingbai’s eyes blazed with the intent to fight and the will to kill.

Respect was one thing, but he had to survive.

Shengsheng was still waiting for him in the capital.

His left shoulder ached faintly. In this situation, he had no confidence facing Qin Xiao, but the only thing he could do was give it his all.

On horseback, he infused his internal energy into the sword, and it hummed with power.

With a loud roar, Qin Xiao charged at him from horseback.

The trusted generals surrounding him all had serious expressions, their eyes fixed on the two fighters. At this moment, everyone’s hearts were lifted in tension.

The King of Nanling and their Grand General—both were key officials in the present-day Nanling. Losing either one would be a tremendous blow to the country.

Yet, no one could stop them.

Qin Xiao had been through countless battles, his martial skills exceptional. He fought with a bold and powerful style, relying on strength to overcome his enemies.

Feng Qingbai, on the other hand, wielded a soft sword, his movements unpredictable and focused on skill.

However, he was injured.

And this was his second hard battle in a row.

The lack of proper food for several days had taken a significant toll on his stamina.

Time seemed to slow down as the fight dragged on. The sky began to lighten.

The dim light gradually turned grayish.

Sweat soaked through their clothes, and the sound of swords clashing filled the air.

In addition, the sound of labored breathing from both fighters grew louder as they neared exhaustion.

Clang! The weapons collided again, and the powerful force of the blow sent a jolt through Feng Qingbai’s arm. The wound on his left shoulder reopened, and blood spilled out.

Feng Qingbai’s movements slowed slightly.

In a battle between masters, even the smallest mistake could be fatal.

His soft sword was knocked away, and the blunt heavy sword came at him swiftly. Behind the heavy sword, Qin Xiao’s eyes gleamed with a sharp murderous intent.

Feng Qingbai’s pupils constricted!

He couldn’t avoid this strike!

In fact, he could already feel the sword tip pressing against his chest, ready to pierce through in the next moment!

“Hiss—Bang!” In the distance, something let out a sharp sound like a phoenix’s cry, exploding in the sky.

Just as the heavy sword was about to pierce his flesh, it stopped.

Qin Xiao lifted his head and gazed at the fireworks blooming high in the sky. It was the phoenix in flight.

It was the gift he had given to her, the only one she had accepted.

“Hahahaha—” Qin Xiao suddenly burst into laughter, the corners of his eyes subtly turning red. He looked at Feng Qingbai and said, “I, Qin Xiao, have raised my sword against the King of Nanling—an act of treason, and death is not enough to atone for it. But this matter is solely my doing. It has nothing to do with my soldiers. They came here only to aid the border! I ask that Your Highness show mercy to them. This is a matter of national affairs, and you, as always, weigh rewards and punishments with clarity, putting the greater good above all. Can you agree to this request?”

Feng Qingbai stared at Qin Xiao quietly for a moment before nodding, “Agreed.”

“Thank you, Your Highness!” Qin Xiao laughed again, his voice echoing through the heavens and earth. “In my life, I, Qin Xiao, have no regrets towards heaven and earth, no regrets towards my country and parents. Even in death, I will die without regrets!”

The heavy sword was pulled back and wiped across his neck, a decisive and resolute action.

In this life, he had no regrets towards anyone, except for one person.

Now that she wanted him to stop, he could only choose death.

“General!” From behind, a group of soldiers looked on with eyes wide in anguish.

Bang, the heavy sword dropped to the ground, and everything around fell into complete silence.

Qin Xiao pressed his wrist, his gaze deep and unwavering as he stared at Feng Qingbei.

“General has contributed greatly to our kingdom, showing no fear of life or death on the battlefield. Why fear living to face judgment now?”

“I, Qin Xiao, fear nothing!”

“This time, I, the Prince, have been trapped, and the armies of two kingdoms have already gone to war. Your talents should be used on the battlefield to help our Nanling defend the border. As for the matter of assassination, once you return victorious, I will pass judgment. Do you have any objections?” Feng Qingbai bent down to pick up the heavy sword from the ground and handed it back to Qin Xiao. “The safety and prosperity of the people of Nanling depend on the soldiers guarding the border. Even if you must die, General, you should die on the battlefield. That is how one truly dies for a worthy cause.”

Qin Xiao tightly gripped the sword hilt, gazing at Feng Qingbai for a long while before lowering his eyes. “I will die for the people of Nanling!”

“We, the soldiers, will die for the people of Nanling!” Behind him, the soldiers all bowed deeply, their voices booming with resolve.

Feng Qingbai’s lips curled into a faint smile. “I will await your victorious report.”

Seeing the signal flare from the city of Yigu, Wei Zi, who had been fighting on the Dongyue border for several days, saw the purple fireworks bloom in the sky during the day. His body relaxed, and a rare smile appeared on his typically stern face. “Retreat! Back to the city!”

The sound of horns and drums filled the air, and the reinforcements arriving on the battlefield boosted the morale of the Nanling soldiers.

With a single push, the momentum was unstoppable.

When Cheng Sheng saw the commanding figure charging ahead of the army, his mouth hung open for a while before he burst into a hearty laugh.

In his life, Cheng Sheng respected capable people the most, and among them, General Qin Xiao, whom he had only heard of by name, was the one he admired the most.

To fight side by side with General Qin Xiao in battle—he felt that his life would be worth it, even if he were to die today!

With his sword pointed towards Dongyue, he shouted, “Kill!”