A Grand Plan for the Ages, a Passing Glance at Floating Clouds

Ahead lay the enemy’s grain storage site. Sun Ziyue led the soldiers behind him, advancing with steady steps. Just like on the battlefields of the past, their movements seemed to have alerted no one.

“General, ahead…” a soldier beside him whispered.

The granary ahead was not like usual; its defenses were not lax just because it was inside the city. On the contrary, it was heavily guarded by elite troops. Sun Ziyue signaled with his eyes for the soldier to remain silent and walked forward with a neutral expression.

“Halt! Who goes there?” a commanding officer shouted from ahead.

“One of our own, one of our own,” Sun Ziyue replied.

Seeing that Sun Ziyue was approaching alone, the guard commander relaxed his vigilance. “Which battalion are you from?”

“I am from…” Sun Ziyue leaned in, looking at him with a smile, as a dagger slid silently into his hand. “…your ancestor’s battalion!”

The moment the words left his mouth, Sun Ziyue plunged the blade into the officer’s abdomen. The man only had time to let out a single strangled cry. The other soldiers reacted instantly, shouting “Enemy attack!” but the archers hidden within Sun Ziyue’s team quickly drew their bows, killing the remaining sentries.

“Quick! Into the granary!” Sun Ziyue shouted. He could already hear the frantic tolling of the alarm bell.

The granary was hollow. Despite the heavy guard at the gate, the storehouses were empty of people. Sun Ziyue used his sword to flick open a crate; inside, there was nothing but straw.

“Dammit, it’s a trap!” Sun Ziyue cursed under his breath as he stepped back outside.

By now, the area outside the granary was completely surrounded.

“Thanks to the City Lord’s brilliance, he predicted you rebels would use such underhanded tactics!” the leading enemy general laughed mockingly from the perimeter.

Sun Ziyue narrowed his eyes. He grabbed a bow from a nearby soldier and loosed an arrow aimed straight at the general’s face. The man dodged frantically; the arrow only managed to sever the red tassel on his helmet.

“Cursed rebel!” the general roared, glaring at Sun Ziyue.

“Light the fire,” Sun Ziyue commanded. The soldier beside him froze.

“General, this place is full of straw. If we light a fire, none of us will escape,” the soldier said tremulously.

Sun Ziyue suddenly laughed. “Do you think we can survive otherwise?”

The soldier understood. Sun Ziyue was choosing to go to his death.

“Burn it!” Sun Ziyue ordered again.

This time, no one hesitated. The soldiers following him hurled their torches directly into the mounds of straw. The enemy general was stunned, his face paling instantly.

Sun Ziyue brandished his longsword. “Brothers, kill!”

He was the first to charge, his men following close behind.

“A bunch of lunatics! Kill them all!” the enemy general ordered, his face twisted in rage. His soldiers surged forward.

Sun Ziyue was indeed valiant, but he was deep within a heavy siege. He slashed through an oncoming soldier, but in a moment of distraction, a blade bit deep into his left shoulder. Blood flowed freely.

He remembered just that afternoon, Luo Bai had asked him if he really wanted to go; if not, he could send someone else. At the time, he had thumped his chest with confidence, giving Luo Bai his word. And now… it seemed he was truly going to leave his life here.

Another blade swung toward him. Sun Ziyue couldn’t dodge in time; his neck was half-severed. He collapsed.

As he fell, a handkerchief slipped from his breast pocket and landed on the ground. Embroidered on it was the delicate character “Qing.” It belonged to his new bride. They had only lived together for two or three days after their wedding… and now he was dying.

The flames from the straw reached the silk, igniting the handkerchief and turning it to ash. The ashes drifted into the air, floating out of the city and landing on a woman’s hand.

Hua Qianluo sighed. With a casual wave, she let the ashes scatter.

“Blessings are not woes, and woes cannot be avoided. Little Luo Bai, this is a tribulation you were destined for in this life.” Hua Qianluo suddenly smiled. “However, if you beg me when the time comes, I might just help you out.”

“Commander, look!”

Outside the city, soldiers watched excitedly as billowing black smoke rose from within the walls.

Luo Bai raised his head, staring at the smoke. This was not what he and Sun Ziyue had agreed upon. A look of hesitation flickered in his eyes.

But opportunity knocks but once. Luo Bai gritted his teeth and issued the order to his tent. “Order the three armies—full assault on the city!”

As the sky grew pale with dawn, soldiers were clearing the battlefield. The battle had raged all night. Although they had caught the enemy off guard, the city walls had allowed for an effective resistance. Ultimately, however, Luo Bai had prevailed.

“Have you found him?” Luo Bai grabbed a soldier clearing the field.

The soldier shook his head.

Luo Bai sighed. He suspected Sun Ziyue was truly gone. He felt a deep, piercing regret—regret for sending him here. His brother had only just married, only to follow him and lose his life on the battlefield.

“Beautiful Brother…”

Long Miaoming walked over. she opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Luo Bai forced a smile and patted her head.

“It’s alright, girl. Go and rest. You haven’t slept all night.”

Long Miaoming looked at Luo Bai’s bloodshot eyes. He hadn’t slept either. For the first time, she truly realized that on the battlefield, weapons have no eyes and human life is as cheap as grass. Sun Ziyue, who had been eating with them just yesterday afternoon, was gone in a single night.

She wanted to stay with him, but seeing the stubbornness in his face, she didn’t want to worry him further. “Then, Beautiful Brother, I’ll go sleep first.”

Luo Bai nodded. As she turned to return to the command tent, Luo Bai suddenly spoke.

“Girl…”

Long Miaoming turned back, puzzled.

“When this war is over…” Luo Bai looked at her with absolute sincerity. “…let’s get married.”

Long Miaoming froze. Seeing the earnest expression on his face, she didn’t know how to react for a moment. Should she be happy? Excited?

She tucked two stray locks of hair behind her ears. “Alright.”

She gave a small smile. Those two simple words were more comforting than any grand speech.

Luo Bai watched her enter the tent before slowly turning away. Sun Ziyue’s death filled him with remorse, but it was also a wake-up call. On the battlefield, there is no such thing as luck—or rather, being alive is the only luck one gets.

He didn’t want to fail Long Miaoming.

Luo Bai sighed. He would wait. When he had seized this world, he would marry her with the rites of an Empress, the ceremony of a Monarch, and the whole of creation… as the betrothal gift.