On the first day of the first month of the fifteenth year of Tiansheng, after the bitter battle of Baitou Cliff, Da Yue and Tian Sheng engaged in yet another battle at the border of Pucheng. 

The real battle started on the New Year’s Even in the fourteenth year of Tiansheng. Tiansheng spies created chaos within Pucheng city, destroyed the information channel between Pucheng and the main Da Yue camp, then ambushed Da Yue army in the East River Valley, intercepted and killed the Da Yue’s Left Army that had came to aid Pucheng, killed the deputy general of the Left Army, killed 8,000 enemie soldiers. Afterwards, at the base of the city wall tower, Tiansheng had a short battle with Jin Siyu’s guard battalion and was able to not only rescue Gernal Wei who was imprisoned in the city but also gave Da Yue a fierce battle. 

It was a chaotic battle. Tiasheng’s cavalry surrounded the Pucheng guard battalion while Da Yue’s main battalion surrounded Tian Sheng’s cavalry. However, Tiansheng then sent out even more cavalry fighters to head straight for Da Yue’s main camp. Everyone was surrounded on all side. It was a battle that thoroughly exhausted Da Yue. 

Tiansheng originally had the upper hand but their soldiers from the south can’t endure the cold for too long. In such a frigid weather and in an enemy nation, Ning Yi had no intention to drag it out with Jin Siyu. Tiansheng army battled as they retreated, keeping their formation all the while. In the end, both side parted peacefully at the border. Da Yue army had followed them all the way to the military camps by the border but there was nothing they could do so it was like they were escorting them out of the country as a courtesy. 

After tallying, Tianshing was the one that ended with a minor victory but Jin Siyu didn’t take too much of a hit either. He actually took Feng Zhi Wei’s suggestion and downplayed the whole conflict in his report to the imperial court. He turned Ning Yi’s unhurried retreat from the city into Tiansheng running away back home after their failed attack. Tiansheng’s attack on New Year’s eve on the main camp was spinned as the main camp was well guarded even during the festivities so there was no major loss. 

On Tiasheng’s side, they didn’t care a wit what tricks Da Yue was pulling since they were too busy rejoicing– Their General Wei didn’t die, he is back! 

The Tiansheng camp was filled with a happy atmosphere, especially Tao Yangyu and his friends. After getting sixty military sticks (remember the part where Jin Siyu demanded that they retreat to save Zhi Wei and a panicked Tao Yangyu began yelling wildly for them to retreat? This was the punishment Ning Yi had gave him at the time.), Tao Yangyu climbed down from the bench and immediately started to smile while holding his buttocks, making people wonder if he was perhaps Liu Yuan number 2. (Liu Yuan was the guard captain who enjoyed getting beat up by Helian.) 

The atmosphere in the main tent was a tad bit worse because Feng Zhi Wei has not woken up yet and the reason is that Zong Chen had discover yet another strange poison in Feng Zhi Wei. 

A new strange poison appeared but the previous poison they had feared would turn her whole being into poison didn’t happen. By this point Zong Chen had figure out why Feng Zhi Wei insisted on returning and negotiated alone with Jin Siyu. She had forcefully turned the poison inside her that would’ve poison others into one that would only poison herself. Who knows how she was able to use her glib tongue to convince someone as full of suspicion as Jin Siyu. 

Helian was the first one to jump up and curse after he found out about the matter. What’s the big deal about being a poisonous person? Everyone just need to be more careful, why go to that extent? He was so frustrated that he was roaming around inside the tent aimlessly, like a trapped lion. 

Since waking up, Gu Nan Yi had been sitting by the bed holding Feng Zhi Wei’s hand, watching her intently as if fearing he would lose her or she would abandon him again. Impatient with all the noises Helian is making, disturbing him watching over his Zhi Wei, Gu Nan Yi sent King Helian flying out of the tent with one kick. 

Helian rolled in the mud and heard Gu Nan Yi, who never took the initiative to expression his opinion of others, dryly said “That is her.” 

Helian sat on the floor, thought for a long time while tugging at his hair and finally sighed. 

Yes, that is her. 

The strange poison in Feng Zhi Wei’s body was transformed from Gu insects’ poison. Zong Chen who is not as well versed in Gu poison naturally was unable to find an antidote right away. Sitting in the tent yet again pouring over medical books hopelessly, Zong Chen suddenly heard someone walking briskly in. Zong Chen didn’t have to look up to know it was Helian. Only Helian would have such a vigorous stride. 

With a saber on the right and a sword on his left, King Helian came briskly in with a small bag in hand. He had stopped using whip lately, as for the reason, no one knows. (ha ha, the author is teasing poor Helian about his Capitain Liu) 

Thrusting the small package in front of Zong Chen, Helian joyfully said “Old Zong, I almost forgot, the day when I went back to find Jia Rong I inadvertently dug out this thing under the back wall of the courtyard Zhi Wei had stayed previously.” 

Zong Chen opened the package, saw the thing, smelled it, his eyes lit up, so overjoy that he forgot to be his usually refined self that he slapped Helian heartily on the shoulder “Good! Very Good! Thank you, Brother Helian!”

Helian rubbed his shoulder and grinned, then asked with bright sparkling eyes “The antidote should be no problem now right?”

Zong Chen shook his head, Helian was surprised, the light in his eyes immediately dimmed. 

“It’s like this.” Zong Chen couldn’t bear to see the obvious disappointment in Helian’s eyes so he quickly explained, “This is a Gu Yin, we can presum that when Jin Siyu was cultivating the twin Gu, he fed them this. Now I can use this as a base to find an antidote. Without this I had no clue which direction to go at all so I have a much better chance now. It would have been better if the small jar was brought out at that time, perhaps we could know even more…”

“I’ll go get it right away!” Helian immediately turned to leave. 

“Don’t.” Zong Chen grabbed him, “You did the right thing. Jin Siyu will definitely go back to check on the jar. It is more useful to have the jar stay there than to take it out.” 

“Then I’ll be counting on you.” Helian clasped his hand into a fist (a gesture of respect) and said sincerely “as long as you can find the antidote, all those of wild grassland will be thankful to you.”

“Don’t get so polite on me, I am not used to hearing you talk like that.” Zong Chen laughed, “This was my responsibility anyway.” 

“Speaking of responsibility.” Helian suddenly grinned and leaned close, “I never understood, why you sir with such talent and background would be willing from the beginning to serve Zhi Wei. Does it have something to do with her family background?”

Zong Chen was silent for a moment then said, “Zhi Wei had told you about her background before?”

“No,” Helian shook his head, “But Zhi Wei didn’t deliberately hid many things from me. Back in the Capital, I got there toward the end and knew more or less what happened.” 

“In that case,” Zong Chen spoke more slowly this time, as if he was choosing his words carefully, “Your majesty are still choosing to be close with Zhi Wei? Aren’t you worried that the wild grassland would end up being implicated in the future?”

“What implication?” Helian laughed heartily, “My tribe is unruly. In the hundreds of years we have even changed our name a few times. Follow this master or that one, we followed whoever we took a liking to. Who dictates that this world should only belong to a certain family or who must be loyal to whom? Helian made a vow, Helian’s wild grassland will always belong to his Grand Queen. Helian’s heart will only ever be loyal to her.” 

He spoke firmly, each word was crisp and definite. The sun spilled in from the gap in the tent, coating this man with his frank expression in a golden glow, making him appear like a giant diamond, not fearful of the grinding of this world, forever shining brilliantly. 

Looking at such a man, Zong Chen could feel his heart surged with emotion. The men around Zhi Wei, Ning Yi is entangled with grievances, Gu Nan Yi has a pure heart. Zhi Wei’s attitude might be one that never seem to involve love, but it is obvious in the future, it’s either putting grievances behind and rule the world together or forget the past and live out peacefully in the mountains, no matter what, it’s one of these two people.

Only Helian, from the current situation, Zhi Wei sees him as a close friend and her mannerism towards him is quite intimate. But it is that intimacy and closeness that make it especially devoid of possibilities, without an ounce of temptation for something more. 

On the surface, he seemed to be the closest to her, even the Grand Queen title belonged to him, but in reality, he is the farthest away.

Helian is a smart person, he can see it, and naturally, he also understand it. 

He knows but still doesn’t fight, take nor beg, still holds out his sincere heart without any resentment, still laugh heartily and cheerfully. Helian’s magnanimous heart, makes even Zong Chen as a man feel awed. 

All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com

Do you guys see why I complained bitterly that it was so criminal what the scriptwriter did to Helian’s character in the drama? Helian’s one defining characteristic is that he is unmovable when it comes to his loyalty to Feng Zhi Wei. The drama took THE most perfect and memorable secondary character I have ever come across in a story then promptly turned him into a luckluster ordinary petty man at the end. 

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