The Song of Gaixia

Qingnu tidied up the palaces and pavilions built by Ying Zheng for the Fengshan ceremonies and moved in.

After living there for only a few months, Emperor Yi died.

Under heaven, the world descended into chaos once more.

That old scoundrel Liu Bang, raising the banner of righteousness to avenge Emperor Yi, appointed Han Xin as Great General. Leading his troops from Hanzhong, he reclaimed the Three Qin. Just like the story of the Qin's unification of the six states, he led the youths of Feng and Pei along with the old Qin people of Guanzhong through Hangu Pass, once again plowing through the lands under heaven!

The Han court, having inherited the mountains, rivers, and census records of the State of Qin, understood its own manpower and resources thoroughly.

The entire Han court was a highly efficient war machine!

Furthermore, compared to the feudal lords of Shandong, the Qin court in Yongcheng trusted the Han court more. Zi Ying even lent Li Si and other veteran ministers of the Qin dynasty to Liu Bang to let them contribute their remaining strength.

Old Li Si, despite being in his seventies or eighties, was as vigorous as ever, governing Guanzhong alongside Xiao He.

Those who have managed a great empire are truly different!

Additionally, as the blessings of the auspicious snow gradually manifested, the fertile fields of Guanzhong stretched for thousands of miles, yielding bountiful harvests.

Every time news came back that the old scoundrel needed more troops, these two men with maxed-out internal governance abilities would produce exactly the soldiers he required.

Under the alliance of the Qin court and the Han court, no feudal lord under heaven could stand against them.

Only the Hegemon-King Xiang Yu, leading his army in person, was a match for them!

This was what it meant to sweep across the world!

This time, under the overwhelming pressure of the Han army, even the Treaty of Honggou never came to be!

Although Xiang Yu was powerful, he was but one man. Under the nearly endless harassment of the Han army, his soldiers grew fewer and fewer, and he was soon pursued to Gaixia.

On that day, a light snow fell from the sky.

The night was sparse, and the Han army had Gaixia surrounded so tightly that even water could not leak through.

Qingnu stopped and gazed down at the Chu army's camp. Snow fell upon her smooth black hair.

She had come to see Xiang Yu off on his final journey.

In truth, Qingnu owed Xiang Yu a debt of thanks. Had he not insisted on destroying Xianyang, how would the people of Xianyang have spontaneously offered sacrifices to her under such heavy pressure?

As the Jade Maiden of the Azure Heavens, her divinity had broken free from the shackles of dynastic fate to gain the freedom of heaven and earth, and he had lent a hand in that.

The snake girl was a grateful person.

Even though Xiang Yu had not helped her intentionally, she could not treat it as nothing.

Thinking of this, she let out a soft sigh, just as the Han army on all sides began to sing Chu songs.

"Why does the lord stay and delay? For whom does he linger in the mid-stream isle?"

The melody of the 'Lord of the Xiang' was sorrowful and winding. It should have been a song of love, but it made the soldiers of the Chu army feel heavy-hearted and lost.

Inside the military tent, hearing the Chu songs rising from all sides, even the world-invincible Xiang Yu could not help but be stunned.

"Could it be that Han has already taken all the lands of Chu?"

"Great King!"

Yu Ji entered from outside, personally carrying hot soup to help Xiang Yu sober up.

Seeing her, Xiang Yu frowned and asked, "Why do you need to do this? Where are the others?"

Yu Ji gave a faint smile and helped Xiang Yu sit down, gently kneading his shoulders and back. She didn't say it, but Xiang Yu could guess where those people had gone.

Now that the Chu songs were playing, they had likely scattered and fled.

Xiang Yu gave a self-deprecating laugh and said, "When I first rebelled against Qin, my strength plucked up mountains and my might shadowed the world. Yet, the mandate of heaven is not with me!"

"Your Majesty's bravery is unparalleled in all history! Defeat is the will of heaven, not a failure of your generalship."

Yu Ji comforted him softly. Xiang Yu heard her but still sighed.

He turned sideways, reached out to gently tuck a lock of Yu Ji's black hair, and murmured, "Yu Ji... I will send men to escort you to the Han court. Though Liu Bang is a petty man, I looked after his wife, children, and elders for many days. Surely he will not harm you."

Upon hearing this, Yu Ji held Xiang Yu's shoulders and said, "Wherever the Great King is, there your servant shall be!"

"What a pair of tragic lovers!"

Suddenly, a clear female voice rang out from outside the tent.

Qingnu walked in and looked at Xiang Yu, greeting him with a smile, "It has been two years. You look quite haggard now, Hegemon-King of Western Chu, Xiang Yu!"

Xiang Yu's pupils constricted. He stared at Qingnu, remaining silent for a long time before finally speaking.

"You... are that woman from the Qin court at Hongmen back then?"

He suddenly stood up, walked to Qingnu, and said excitedly, "Since you can come here, you must be able to take Yu Ji out!"

Qingnu asked in return, "Why should I help you?"

Xiang Yu froze, then said, "If you do this favor for me, in the next life, I will repay you even if I must serve as your beast of burden!"

Qingnu tilted her head, suddenly laughed, and said to him, "Actually, I can save you too!"

"Noble lady, are your words true?"

As soon as Qingnu finished speaking, Yu Ji stepped forward quickly, looking at her with excitement.

Qingnu nodded and said, "Of course it's true! As long as you give up your identity as the Hegemon-King of Western Chu and live as an ordinary person from now on."

When she said those words, Xiang Yu burst into loud laughter and waved his hand, saying, "Woman of the Qin court! Say no more. Back then at the Hongmen enfeoffment, I stood supreme over all the feudal lords under heaven. How could I, for the sake of survival, abandon the soldiers of Western Chu and live on as a mere commoner in white robes!"

He pushed Yu Ji toward Qingnu and said, "Yu Ji, go with her."

Yu Ji knelt on the ground, her eyes blurring with tears, and said to Xiang Yu, "Your servant only wishes to remain by the Great King's side!"

The Chu songs grew even more melodious. Yu Ji performed her final dance for Xiang Yu, and Qingnu did not disturb the little remaining tenderness they had left.

She sat on a wooden rack outside the military tent, watching the light snow fall from the sky and hearing the song rise from within.

The Song of Gaixia, the Song of Gaixia. When one was in high spirits back then, who could have imagined this day of defeat?

'Ah, Yu, my Yu, what will become of you?'

"Yu Ji—!!"

When he emerged from the tent again, Xiang Yu was alone.

He knelt on one knee before Qingnu on the wooden rack, his expression solemn.

But he did not utter a single word.

After bowing to her, Xiang Yu picked up his weapon, flipped onto his horse, and led the last of the Chu army to charge toward the Han army's encirclement.

Qingnu jumped down, and Hongluan flew from her shoulder. After a flash of blue and red light, Hongluan transformed into her human form, entered the tent, and carried Yu Ji out.

The beauty was gone; the blood on her neck had already dried.

"It really is convenient that Bird Sister can turn into a human!"

Qingnu smiled brightly, snapped her fingers, and turned to walk outside. "Bird Sister, let's go! We're going to collect his body."

Hongluan gave Qingnu a playful huff but followed obediently.

Xiang Yu led the Chu army in a fierce battle against the Han army. By daybreak, when they reached the vicinity of the Wu River, only twenty-eight cavalrymen remained by his side. Each was stained with blood, carrying a terrifying killing intent that made the Han army hesitate to step forward.

The Hegemon-King truly was the person with the deepest understanding of cavalry tactics in this era!

Liu Bang caught a glimpse of Xiang Yu from a distance and ordered, "He who kills Xiang Yu shall be rewarded with gold and made a Marquis of Ten Thousand Households!"

Once this order was given, the Han army's blockade of Xiang Yu became even more violent.

By the time they reached the Wu River, only Xiang Yu was left.

He held his sword and halberd, glaring at his surroundings. Not a single Han soldier dared to step forward to face him.

Xiang Yu recognized one of the men surrounding him and shouted, "Lv Matong? Do you still remember me?"

At his shout, Lv Matong's mind was shaken, and he stumbled backward.

Seeing him so cowardly, Xiang Yu laughed even louder. He raised his long sword, gazed at the distant Han army camp, and shouted loudly, "Liu Bang has placed a thousand pieces of gold on my life. Since we are old acquaintances, come! I shall grant you the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households!"

Xiang Yu took his own life at the Wu River. The surrounding Han soldiers swarmed forward, eager to fight over his remains.

But at that moment, the wind rose, and snow began to fall from the sky.