Chapter 187
Lin Wan thought about the question for a moment, staring at the snow-covered pine trees. "If I had the power, I would send every single soldier home to their families. I would eliminate kings, armies, and all of this endless fighting." She let out a soft, sad laugh. "I would just go back to my small kitchen and cook a huge feast for the people I love."
The older woman laughed softly at the simple, humble dream. "That is a very beautiful thought."
"People rarely understand how wonderful an ordinary, peaceful day can be until it is gone," Lin Wan noted, looking down.
She bent down with some effort, her stomach making it difficult to lean over, and picked up a small handful of fresh, cold snow. "When I was a little girl, I used to hate the winter season."
Sister Yun looked at her curiously. "Why is that?"
"My hands always became terribly cold," Lin Wan explained, a nostalgic smile touching her lips. "My mother would wrap my hands with warm pieces of cloth. She would scold me for running outside in the freezing wind, but her hands were always so warm when she held mine."
Her smile slowly faded, and she let the snow slip through her fingers. "I have not thought about that memory in so many years. I miss my mother so much."
At the exact same time, the Silver Leopard army was busy crossing the wide, frozen river. Thousands of brave warriors moved carefully across the thick, slippery ice in perfect lines.
Behind them, the heavy supply wagons and the massive snow wolves pulling heavy carts followed slowly, their paws gripping the frozen surface.
Wei Xiang flew high overhead, his sharp eyes scanning the riverbanks. After making sure the area was safe, he glided down and shifted back into his human form, landing gracefully beside Wang.
"The crossing is completely clear," Wei Xiang reported, shaking the snow from his dark hair.
Wang looked back at the long line of marching soldiers. "Are there any signs of pursuit or watchers behind us?"
"None that I could see from the sky," Wei Xiang confirmed.
One of the clan elders frowned, stroking his gray beard. "It feels far too easy. I do not like this peacefulness."
"I agree with the elder," Wei Xiang said, his brow furrowing. "Cassian would not leave this area completely unguarded without a plan."
Just then, another scout hurried over from the eastern ridge, dropping to one knee before the Patriarch. "Patriarch, we found three fresh footprints along the high eastern ridge."
The nearby warriors instantly became alert, their hands moving toward their weapons.
Wei Xiang frowned, looking up at the high cliffs. "Only three footprints? Did they lead anywhere?"
"No," the scout explained. "They appeared suddenly and then disappeared completely after a short distance."
Wang looked toward the rocky ridge, his dark eyes narrowing. "Those prints belong to Cassian’s Shadow Guards. They are not here to attack us. They are merely observing our movements."
The elder looked surprised. "Why would he only send three guards to watch a whole army?"
"They are counting our numbers and measuring our speed," Wei Xiang realized, looking at Wang.
Wang nodded once. "Yes. They are reporting everything back to the Citadel."
A nearby captain stepped forward, his expression fierce. "Patriarch, should I take a small squad and chase them down?"
"No," Wang ordered firmly. "Do not waste your energy chasing them."
The captain looked confused. "But sir, they are spying on us."
"If those guards have escaped this far, they have already completed their mission," Wang explained calmly. "Chasing them now will only tire our men."
The captain bowed his head deeply. "I understand, Patriarch. I will tell the men to keep moving."
By noon, the army reached the entrance of a narrow valley surrounded by incredibly steep, jagged cliffs. The atmosphere among the soldiers instantly became incredibly tense.
Wei Xiang looked upward at the towering stone walls above them. "I don’t like this location at all, Wang."
"Neither do I," Wang agreed, his voice low.
The Patriarch raised his hand high, signaling the entire army to halt. The sudden silence that spread through the narrow valley was deafening.
Wang slowly closed his eyes, releasing his powerful spiritual sense to scan the cliffs above. He searched for any hidden arrays, hidden archers, or waiting assassins, but he detected absolutely nothing.
Even so, his survival instincts refused to relax.
Wei Xiang stepped closer, keeping his voice quiet. "What are your thoughts, Patriarch? What do we do?"
Wang opened his eyes, a cold light shining in them. "We will set up our camp right here in the middle of the valley."
The elder blinked in surprise, looking around at the steep cliffs. "But Patriarch, we are only halfway through the valley. This is a very dangerous place to stop."
Wei Xiang immediately understood the strategy, a clever smile appearing on his face. "I see what you are doing. You want to force Cassian to make the next move."
Wang nodded. "Exactly. If the Manticore King is watching us, we should let him wonder why we stopped in such an exposed position. It will disrupt his plans."
"I like the idea of making the King impatient," Wei Xiang noted.
The order spread quickly through the lines, and within minutes, the soldiers began setting up a temporary camp inside the narrow valley.
Far away, hidden high among the snowy, frozen cliffs, a pair of sharp golden eyes quietly watched every single movement below.
The hidden Shadow Guard slowly lowered the brass spyglass in his hand, a small, intrigued smile appearing on his face.
Without wasting another second, he dissolved into the falling snow, rushing back to deliver the report to the Supreme Citadel.
The afternoon passed quietly inside the Supreme Citadel as the snow continued to fall, covering the palace roofs in another fresh layer of white.
Lin Wan returned to her warm room after her long walk. She sat near the roaring fireplace, sewing another tiny baby shirt. This one looked much neater and straighter than her first attempt.
She smiled to herself, feeling a small sense of pride in her work. "See? I am getting much better at this."
Sister Yun looked over from her chores, nodding in agreement. "The stitches are indeed much straighter today, Lady Lin."
Lin Wan lifted the little blue shirt proudly, showing it to the older woman. "It is no longer ugly, right?"
Sister Yun laughed softly, sitting down near her. "It is beautiful. I think a little boy would look very handsome wearing it."
Lin Wan blinked in surprise, looking down at her stomach. "Do you truly think it is a boy?"
"I am only guessing," Sister Yun admitted with a smile. "But a mother’s heart usually knows."
Lin Wan placed her palm over her belly, whispering gently, "What do you think, little one? Is your brother or sister listening?"
Almost immediately, a tiny, firm kick landed right beneath her palm, making her smile widen.
"Look at that," Sister Yun chuckled. "The little cubs are already answering their mother."
Before Lin Wan could reply, another young maid hurried into the room with a polite bow. "Lady Lin, His Majesty invites you to have tea with him in the western pavilion."
Lin Wan looked surprised by the sudden invitation. "Tea in the pavilion? In this cold weather?"
"The King felt you have spent too much time indoors lately," the maid explained. "He thought the fresh air would do you good."
Lin Wan exchanged a helpless glance with Sister Yun. "Does he always decide my schedule like this?"
Sister Yun smiled gently. "It seems he worries about you in his own way, child."
Lin Wan sighed quietly, setting her sewing basket aside. "Very well. Tell him I will accept the invitation."
The western pavilion was a beautiful structure that overlooked a large, frozen lake. Fresh snow rested on the curved tiled roof, and the dark water beneath the ice reflected the pale gray sky. Cassian was already waiting inside the pavilion, sitting quietly beside a small table with a pot of hot tea.
As Lin Wan approached, he looked up from his cup. "You have arrived."
"I came because you invited me," Lin Wan replied simply, sitting down slowly on the soft cushion opposite him.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke a word. The only sound was the pouring of the hot, fragrant tea into a small ceramic cup.
Cassian pushed the warm cup toward her.
"I hear you have been sleeping much better these past few nights," Cassian noted.
Lin Wan looked at him in surprise. "How do you know that? Were you watching me?" Well, what a dumb question to ask, of course he knows everything, even how many breaths I take he knows.
"The royal physician reports to me every morning regarding your health," Cassian explained.
She gave him a helpless, amused smile. "Does he report every single thing I do?"