The battle in the clearing had left the air thick with tension, the clash of steel and the shouts of men fading into the stillness of the night. Li Yuhua stood over the defeated cloaked woman, her chest heaving as she steadied her breath. The woman lay on the ground, clutching her side where Li Yuhua had struck her last.
Around them, the guards gathered, their weapons still drawn, ready for any sudden attack. But for now, the immediate danger seemed to have passed.
Lady Zhen approached cautiously, her gaze sharp as she surveyed the scene. "Is it over?" she asked, her voice low.
"For now," Li Yuhua replied, not taking her eyes off the fallen enemy. "But this is just the beginning. Fang Wei will not let this stand. He will send more."
The woman on the ground coughed, a bitter laugh escaping her lips despite the pain. "You're clever, Lady Li. But cleverness can only delay the inevitable. Fang Wei's reach is vast, and his ambition knows no bounds. You're playing a game far too dangerous for someone like you."
Li Yuhua knelt beside her, gripping her dagger tightly. "Then let him come," she whispered, her voice fierce. "I will face him head-on, just as I've faced you. My people will not bow to him or his schemes."
The woman smirked, her eyes filled with dark amusement. "You think you can stop him? You're just one woman. And even your allies will turn against you when it suits their purpose. Watch your back, Lady Li. The enemies you face are not just in the shadows."
With that, the woman's eyes closed, her body slumping as unconsciousness overtook her.
Lady Zhen knelt beside Li Yuhua, her expression serious. "What should we do with her?"
Li Yuhua rose to her feet, her eyes still locked on the woman. "Tie her up. We'll bring her with us. She knows too much, and she might still be of use to us. But we can't trust her, not for a moment."
The guards quickly followed her orders, binding the woman's hands and feet before lifting her onto one of the horses. Chao, who had been silent and shaken throughout the aftermath of the battle, stood off to the side, avoiding everyone's gaze.
Li Yuhua turned to him, her expression unreadable. "You almost cost us everything," she said, her voice cold.
Chao flinched, his face pale. "I-I didn't mean to... I was just trying to survive."
"Survival at the expense of your allies is not survival at all," she replied sharply. "You betrayed us. Do you think Fang Wei would have spared you in the end? You were nothing more than a pawn to him, just as you were to us."
Chao's shoulders slumped, guilt and fear evident in his eyes. "I... I'm sorry. Please, forgive me. I didn't know what to do."
Li Yuhua's gaze softened slightly, but her voice remained firm. "You will answer for your actions. But for now, we need to focus on getting out of here safely. If Fang Wei's forces catch up to us, none of us will survive."
Chao nodded weakly, grateful that she hadn't condemned him outright. He knew he had earned her distrust, but at least for now, he still had a chance to make things right—or at the very least, survive.
---
As the group resumed their journey, the mountains loomed larger in the distance, the terrain becoming even more treacherous. The path wound its way up steep inclines and through dense forests, where the trees seemed to whisper in the wind, as if sharing secrets from the distant past.
Li Yuhua rode in silence, her mind a storm of thoughts. The battle had shaken her, not just because of the danger, but because of what it represented. The political games she had been forced into were far more perilous than she had imagined. Each step she took, each move she made, had to be precise. One miscalculation could mean the end of everything.
Lady Zhen rode beside her, casting worried glances at her friend. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Li Yuhua replied, though her tone was distant. "But I can't stop thinking about what that woman said."
"About Fang Wei?" Lady Zhen asked, her brow furrowing. "He's a dangerous man, no doubt about that."
"Not just Fang Wei," Li Yuhua said, shaking her head. "She warned me about allies turning against me. I can't help but wonder... is there more treachery lurking within our ranks? Can we truly trust anyone?"
Lady Zhen frowned. "We've been through so much already, Yuhua. The men you've chosen to accompany us—they're loyal. They've proven that."
Li Yuhua sighed. "I know. But Chao's betrayal has shaken me. If he could be swayed so easily, what's to stop others from doing the same? Fear, greed, ambition... these are powerful motivators. And in times like these, they can turn even the most loyal man into an enemy."
Lady Zhen reached out, placing a comforting hand on Li Yuhua's arm. "You can't let doubt consume you. You've always been a brilliant strategist, and you've survived countless threats. Trust yourself, Yuhua. You will see through any deception."
Li Yuhua smiled faintly, appreciating her friend's words. "I hope you're right."
---
By nightfall, they had reached the highest point of the pass. From here, they could see the vast expanse of the northern lands stretching out below them. The sky above was clear, the stars twinkling brightly in the cold night air.
They set up camp near a cluster of rocks that provided some shelter from the wind. As the fire crackled and the warmth spread through the camp, Li Yuhua sat alone, staring into the flames.
Her thoughts drifted back to her father, to the lessons he had taught her. "Power is a fragile thing," he had often said. "It can slip through your fingers like sand if you're not careful. But with wisdom, patience, and strength, you can shape the world around you."
She had always taken his words to heart, but now more than ever, she realized the weight of that truth. She was walking a tightrope, balancing between survival and destruction. And every decision she made would determine which side she fell on.
---
As the night deepened, Li Yuhua retired to her tent, but sleep did not come easily. Her mind was filled with the faces of those who had already betrayed her, and the possibility of more hidden enemies lurking in the shadows. But she knew one thing for certain—she would not be caught off guard again.
Tomorrow, they would continue their journey, but Li Yuhua's mind was already working, crafting new plans and strategies. She would stay one step ahead of Fang Wei, and anyone else who sought to bring her down.
End of Chapter 15
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