Wish You All the Best - Extra Chapter 5

Extra Chapter - If the Past Could Be Rewritten (Part I)

Outside the Great Wall, deep winter

The emergency grain supplies of the Hu forces were intercepted by a Great Wei cavalry unit that had penetrated deep into the heart of their territory, undetected. Every grain of their provisions was reduced to ashes. Following this, the Hu’s final, all-out counterattack was mercilessly repelled by the frontline Wei army, leaving their forces in total collapse.

These successive blows finally forced the Hu to face a grim reality.

Despite having prepared for this day for so long, and having poured the strength of their entire nation into launching this war against Great Wei, the truth was undeniable.

The conflict had dragged on sporadically from early summer of last year until the deep winter of this year.

But defeating the army commanded by the old Duke of Wei and seizing the Hetao region from his grip had now become nothing more than a distant, unattainable dream.

Even the heavens offered no mercy. Snow had fallen for three days and three nights. For many days in a row, soldiers and horses had been dropping dead from hunger and cold. If they did not retreat now, once the Wei forces tightened their encirclement, even if they retained the courage to spur their horses and fight to the death, the remaining soldiers would still perish from starvation and freezing temperatures.

That night, the Hu forces fled north. By dawn, their camp in the snow was a scene of utter devastation, littered only with the corpses of fallen cavalrymen and warhorses that had not yet been buried.

This grueling war to defend Hetao, which had lasted for over a year, finally came to an end with this decisive victory for Great Wei.

It had been a long-drawn-out and exceptionally arduous war. After dawn, in the camps of the Wei army, cheers of victory resounded to the heavens.

Jars of fine wine were brought in, and herds of cattle and sheep were waiting to be slaughtered. This long-awaited victory banquet now awaited only the return of the elite cavalry warriors who had risked their lives to penetrate deep into the Hu interior and successfully carry out the surprise raid.

The leaders of these warriors were the Third Prince of the dynasty, Xiao Lie, and Pei Xian, the eldest son of the Wei army’s commander, the old Duke of Wei.

This year, Xiao Lie was only eighteen.

Xiao Lie and Pei Xian had grown up together, their bond as close as brothers. A year ago, when war broke out at the frontier, the seventeen-year-old Xiao Lie obtained an imperial decree from the Emperor and, joining Pei Xian, followed the old Duke of Wei to serve the court.

Due to his status, the old Duke had initially feared for his safety. In the first battle, Pei Xian served as the vanguard while Xiao Lie was assigned to supply logistics. Xiao Lie went to the commander’s tent to demand to fight, his words fervent and passionate. Infected by his youthful zeal, the old Duke agreed to let him join the fray, but to be safe, he ordered Xiao Lie to stay behind him and not act without authorization. After several battles, Xiao Lie proved his bravery, and his tacit cooperation with Pei Xian led them to achieve success repeatedly. Only then did the old Duke gradually set his mind at ease, entrusting this mission of a surprise raid to the two of them after they had volunteered. They had truly lived up to expectations, burning the Hu’s reinforcement grain and securing a great merit for the conclusion of the war.

Snow swirled and the north wind howled. Despite the harsh weather, the elite light cavalry, composed entirely of young soldiers, rode as if on wings, their horses galloping swiftly. Their leader, Xiao Lie, and deputy leader, Pei Xian, were in high spirits. That night, when they camped for the night, the two shared a tent, finishing the last half-bag of wine in their waterskin. They made a pact: upon returning to the army, they would petition together to seize the momentum of their victory and attack a place called Mutuo, which had been snatched away by the Hu in the previous dynasty. Emboldened by a bit of wine, they drew their swords and began to sing, their youthful passion soaring. As the song ended, Pei Xian laughed and said, "Third Highness, you have been out of the capital for over a year and have made repeated achievements. Not only my father, but the entire army looks at you with new eyes. The report of our triumph sent to the capital will surely praise you greatly, and the Emperor will certainly be pleased. Have you thought of what reward you want?"

Of the Emperor’s three sons, the youngest, Xiao Lie, possessed the most outstanding natural talent, and the Emperor loved him dearly. However, Xiao Lie’s birth mother had passed away long ago, and he had no maternal family to rely on. Added to his naturally flamboyant personality, in the eyes of others, while the Crown Prince was benevolent and the Second Prince was steady, the Third Prince was seen as arrogant and spoiled, privately dubbed by others as a "troublemaker."

"Boming, if I said that after we take Mutuo and return to the capital, I don’t want a reward from the Emperor, but only wish to ask for a precious treasure from your father, what do you think?"

Xiao Lie used Pei Xian’s courtesy name, gazing at him with a faint smile.

Pei Xian was startled. He met the prince's eyes and saw them gleaming slightly; he understood immediately.

The Third Prince and his younger sister, Wenjing, were mutually attracted. Whether their parents knew, he wasn't sure, but he had seen it long ago, though he had never broken his silence on the matter.

He vividly remembered the Lantern Festival years ago. He had taken his sister to the lantern market, and because of the crowds, they had been separated. Fortunately, she had a loyal servant with her, and they had agreed that if they were separated, they would meet at the bridge.

When he found them, he saw the Third Prince standing right beside his sister. They were standing under a willow tree, and the Third Prince had hung a jade pendant-like object on a willow branch. He didn't know what was said, but his sister initially ignored him and started to walk away. Then, seemingly noticing his own appearance—perhaps fearing he would see them—she rushed back, plucked the pendant, and hid it.

Though this happened years ago, the memory remained fresh.

He stared back at Xiao Lie, the smile on his face gradually fading.

"Third Highness, I know what you mean. I have only this one sister. I cannot allow anyone to slight her, and my parents view her as the apple of their eye. We do not ask for wealth or status; we only hope she can find a good man. Your Highness’s status is noble, but if you are merely playing with Wenjing, I will be the first to refuse!"

He spoke every word with absolute clarity.

"Boming, I can swear to the heavens: if I have even a shred of intent to trifle with her, or if I should ever fail her in the future, let me, Xiao Lie, suffer a wretched end! Even if I were to linger in this world, may it be worse than death! How is that? Does that convince you of my sincerity?"

Xiao Lie cast aside his previous playful expression, his demeanor becoming exceptionally solemn.

Pei Xian looked into his eyes for a moment before suddenly bursting into hearty laughter. "With these words from Your Highness, what more could I worry about? When we return, I will take you to see my father. As long as you ask, how could he possibly refuse? Even if he did, I would assist you to ensure you and my sister become a wedded pair. Your Highness may rest assured!"

Xiao Lie was overjoyed. They poured out the remaining wine from the waterskin, drained it in one go, and laughed, "With your word, Boming, I am relieved."

That night, the two talked until the late hours before drifting off to sleep, fully satisfied.

Xiao Lie slowly drifted into a dream.

In the dream, amidst a world of ice and snow, the young girl he had missed for over a year was walking toward him with a smile.

He felt no cold at all; his heart was as warm as spring.

Overfilled with joy, he shouted her name and ran toward her.

The war was over, Great Wei had won, and he had not only fulfilled his childhood dream of being a hero who fought on the battlefield but had also proven his capabilities.

He was not the trouble-making prince everyone saw, one who relied only on his father’s doting to do as he pleased.

He was Xiao Lie, a prince who had earned the respect of the iron-blooded soldiers of Great Wei through his own efforts.

In a few more days, by next spring at the latest, he would be able to go back, make her feel proud of him, and then marry her.

In this lifetime, having her by his side was enough.

But just as he was about to embrace her, suddenly, as if by an invisible bolt of lightning, a deep, insurmountable chasm split the space between them. He could not cross it; he could only watch helplessly as she stood on the other side, her face filled with sorrow, her eyes fixed on him. Her figure grew smaller and smaller, and eventually, she vanished entirely.

Scene after scene of strange imagery began to flash before his eyes.

At his father’s funeral, he saw her back from afar. She seemed to sense his gaze and turned to look at him.

It was only a fleeting glance.

By then, she was already married, the Empress to his eldest brother, who had just succeeded to the throne. Shortly after, he left for Yunnan to establish his own manor.

That glance became the only, and final, look she ever gave him before he left for Yunnan.

Later, a plague broke out in the capital, and she fell ill and was sent to a temple for treatment.

He saw himself sneaking there to keep her company. Half a year later, just before he left, he committed a grave, unforgivable mistake.

It was that single mistake that took her life.

He saw her struggle to give birth to a child for him, only to pass away shortly after. At that time, the "true" him had been completely unaware of everything that was unfolding.

He saw it all clearly: in her final moments, she was clutching in her palm that very jade pendant he had once forced upon her, half out of stubbornness and half out of his own selfish desire, back on that Lantern Festival night...

"Wenjing!"

His heart pounded violently, and he let out a horrified cry. He woke with a start, only to find himself still inside the tent.

The candle he had blown out had been relit at some unknown point. Beside him, Pei Xian was sleeping soundly, and across from him, to his shock, someone was standing there.

It was a young man with exceptionally bright eyes that one could never forget.

He was tall and thin, scholarly and elegant, yet his entire being radiated a kind of power, as if he could command thousands of armies and horses, making the world bow to his will.

He stood there quietly, watching him, his expression somber. His two eyes seemed filled with both sorrow and pity, unmoving, just gazing at him.

From the moment Xiao Lie saw this young man, a strange sensation arose in his heart.

He was absolutely certain that in his eighteen years of life, he had never met this man before.

But the feeling was so familiar—as if this man were the closest person in his life.

"Who are you?"

Xiao Lie slowly sat up from his bedding and asked.

Because of that terrifying dream, his voice was trembling slightly.

The man gazed at him and said, "I have come to tell you one thing. His Majesty the Emperor will pass away before long. If you go on to attack Mutuo, by the time the battle ends and you return to the capital in the spring of next year, the Crown Prince will have already petitioned His Majesty for a marriage decree. From that day on, she will never be your wife again."

The Crown Prince was already a man, but an expert had once predicted based on his birth date that it was not propitious to select a Crown Princess too early. Added to the fact that the Crown Prince himself had shown no interest in it over the years, no Crown Princess had been installed to this day.

Xiao Lie immediately recalled everything he had just seen in his dream, his horror deepening. "Who on earth are you? How could you spout such absurdities? Why would the Crown Prince petition Father for Wenjing’s hand?"

The man did not speak again. He turned and walked out of the tent.

Xiao Lie immediately chased after him, but he could not keep pace. He could only watch as the figure, robes fluttering, was about to vanish into the end of the snowy night.

Anxious and desperate, he sprinted to catch up, but a misstep sent him tumbling into the snow. He cried out—and suddenly heard a familiar voice calling, "Third Highness!" He woke up with a jolt, opening his eyes once more to see Pei Xian sitting up, looking at him. It was Pei Xian who had awakened him, and he was still in the tent.

Was everything that had just happened merely a dream within a dream?

"Third Highness, did you have a nightmare? I heard you shouting incessantly and woke you, but when I woke, you were still asleep."

Pei Xian said, his eyes showing concern.

Xiao Lie was covered in cold sweat. On such a winter night, he felt as if he had just been pulled from water. He sat there blankly, staring straight ahead as if something were there. After a moment, he leaped up, rushed out of the tent, and gazed at the snowy plains. Beneath the pitch-black sky, where was there any trace of the figure from his dream?

"Third Highness, what on earth happened?"

Pei Xian chased after him and was astonished to see him standing barefoot in the snow.

Xiao Lie stood frozen for a long time, then turned suddenly, his voice trembling: "Boming, I have a matter of utmost urgency. I must set out for the capital tonight!"

Having said this, he turned and rushed into the tent, donned his armor, hurried to the horse stables, led out his warhorse, leaped onto its back, and spurred it away.

In the snowy wilderness, a sturdy warhorse, urged on by a young prince who had just turned eighteen, galloped frantically in the direction of the capital.

Just before waking from the dream, he had been brandishing his sword and singing aloud, high-spirited and proud. But at this moment, his heart was filled with terror, fear, and anxiety. He wished he could sprout wings and fly back instantly to that walled city that now lay thousands of miles away.