I am the villain in the book

The sky brightened, and orange-yellow morning clouds appeared over Mei Mountain.

In July, Yuanzhou was typically filled with fresh dew and the winding songs of birds, but on this morning, sandstorms gradually rose, and the stench of blood permeated the wilderness.

Meng Shi, who had knelt outside Yuanzhou City for an entire night, swayed as he stood up, slowly brushing the dew off his general's armor, and turned to look at the dozen or so black-armored deputy generals behind him, their eyes filled with emptiness.

They were all high-ranking generals of the Great Feng army.

And the only ones who managed to escape the Dragon Locking Formation and were fortunate enough to survive.

From five hundred thousand men to a mere dozen...

Overnight, the anger, sorrow, shock, and unwillingness in Meng Shi's heart had slowly disappeared, leaving only endless hatred.

In the distance, the dense sound of horses' hooves grew closer and closer, a clear sign that a large number of troops were about to arrive.

However, he paid it no mind.

"Brothers, may you have a good journey."

With a "clang," he drew the saber from his waist, driving half of the blade into the ground.

Meng Shi, his eyes red, slowly took a step back, then knelt on one knee again in the direction of Yuanzhou City.

"I, Meng Shi, hereby swear."

"One day, I will take Ning Yongnian's head."

"To avenge this blood feud for you all."

"..."

*Thump thump.*

Behind him, the dozen or so black-armored generals also knelt down at the same time.

Trembling, they likewise inserted their sabers into the ground, vowing a blood oath in the most solemn and sorrowful tones.

"In this life, we will take Ning Yongnian's head! Slaughter every soldier of Da Ning!!"

"This hatred will not end until death!!"

At the cost of two million civilians in Yuanzhou City, five hundred thousand Great Feng soldiers were annihilated overnight.

Ning Yongnian's actions were undoubtedly no longer a matter of "unscrupulous means," but completely and utterly "inhumane."

If the people of the world could learn the truth of this matter, then not only Great Feng, but even the people of Da Ning would probably find it difficult to tolerate such a "tyrant."

But unfortunately.

From ancient times to the present, the right to speak has always been in the hands of those in power.

And history is written by the victors.

And the current situation was already obvious.

With the 500,000 elite soldiers of Great Feng trapped and killed in Yuanzhou City, the balance of victory in this war had already swung heavily towards Da Ning.

Or rather, Great Feng's defeat was already a foregone conclusion.

The only difference was how long they could hold out under Da Ning's counterattack.

Fengyuan, the Imperial Palace of Great Feng.

From Mao Shi to Shen Shi, from dawn to dusk.

Today's morning court session lasted an entire day.

Wei Changtian, who had been waiting in the palace for a long time, didn't know what the court officials of Great Feng had been discussing, nor could he glean any clues from Li Qi's expression.

But he guessed it was nothing more than two opinions—

Seek peace, or fight to the death.

For Wei Changtian, he no longer cared how Li Qi would choose. The reason he wanted to see the latter again was just to say goodbye.

"Your Majesty, I will leave Fengyuan tonight."

The two walked side by side in the garden, everything around them the same as when Wei Changtian first arrived in Fengyuan three months ago.

"Mm."

Nodding, Li Qi didn't mention the Yuanzhou affair last night, nor did he say what the outcome of today's court discussion was.

He just spoke calmly, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"Before coming to see you, I personally went and killed her."

"..."

Slightly stunned, Wei Changtian didn't respond.

Who "she" referred to was already clear.

He had no say in this outcome, nor was he surprised.

A gust of breeze swept past, and the two continued to walk forward in silence for about a hundred steps.

Until Li Qi suddenly stopped, looked at Wei Changtian, and sighed softly:

"Young Master Wei, in any case, you have helped me a lot these past three months."

"It's just that the deal you and I made before seems impossible to fulfill now."

And as for the condition Li Qi had promised him, even if he wanted to fulfill it now, he could no longer do so.

Or rather, this condition was already meaningless.

"Your Majesty, the princess still refuses to leave Fengyuan."

After a pause, Wei Changtian changed the subject, looking at the setting sun in the sky: "I can't persuade her, so I hope you can protect her well."

"If Great Feng really reaches a critical moment of life and death one day, I will come to take her away."

"..."

Wei Changtian's last sentence was somewhat ominous, even "disrespectful" in strict terms.

However, Li Qi's expression didn't change much, he just nodded lightly.

"Alright, she is my daughter, and I will naturally protect her without fail."

"If there really is such a day as you said, I will send her to Shu Province in advance."

"At that time, I hope you will treat her well."

"If possible... after she dies, bury her in Wanggui Mountain in Jianchang Prefecture."

"I will also be buried there..."

Jianchang Prefecture, Wanggui Mountain.

Wei Changtian turned to look at Li Qi, understanding that Li Wutong's birth mother should be buried there.

Was he already starting to arrange his affairs?

It seemed that this Great Feng emperor was going to burn his boats.

Silently remembering the name "Wangui Mountain," a smile suddenly appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"Your Majesty, the princess will definitely live longer than me."

"..."

Looking at Wei Changtian, who had suddenly uttered these words, Li Qi couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

And the former cupped his fist slightly at this moment.

"Your Majesty, farewell."

"..."

Coming out of the palace, several carriages were already parked outside Zhengyang Gate.

Chu Xianping, Du Chang, Old Zhangtou, Agou, and Song Li had all packed their luggage and were sitting in the carriages. Now, everyone could leave Fengyuan at any time.

Compared to a month ago, You Jia and Qin Zhengqiu were missing.

But Du Chang and Song Li had joined.

"Where's the princess?"

Standing next to his carriage, Wei Changtian looked around.

"Young Master, when we left, the princess had locked herself in her room and didn't come."

Chu Xianping, standing beside him, replied, then asked softly, "Do you want to go back to the princess's residence again?"

"..."

Could she not bear the pain of parting?

This was quite similar to Xu Qingwan...

"No need."

Shaking his head and getting into the carriage, Wei Changtian said softly:

"Let's go."

"..."

"Glug glug, glug glug."

The wheels began to roll, and several carriages slowly drove away from Zhengyang Gate, heading towards the setting sun on the empty long street.

Although the people outside Fengyuan City had been able to gradually enter the city and return home, most of the shops along the street were still closed, with no one to be seen inside or outside.

Only one small teahouse had a window open on the second floor.

"Patta..."

Tears fell on the window lattice, shattering into countless tiny fragments.

Li Wutong was crying as she leaned against the window, the convoy in her vision becoming more and more distant and blurred.

But just then, she suddenly saw a curtain of one of the carriages being pulled open, followed by an arm reaching out from inside.

In the glow of the setting sun, this arm waved in the air, as if saying goodbye to her.

"Young... Young Master!"

After a brief moment of daze, Li Wutong rushed out of the teahouse, standing on the deserted street.

She bit her lip tightly, her face full of tears as she looked at the dust rising in the distance.

Then, at a certain moment, she suddenly smiled through her tears.

"Young Master!"

Waving her arms forcefully, tears streaked across the corners of her upturned mouth.

"You promised me!"

"When you come back, you will marry me!"

"Don't lie to me!!"

"..."

Outside the city, the setting sun was half-hidden, with a wisp of afterglow on the edge of the clouds.

The sky full of red clouds was like a brocade flowing down to the horizon, dyeing Fengyuan City red, scorching the dusk.

It was like a young girl's blushing face, and like the blooming flowers on the trees, and like the warrior's crimson blood, melting countless joys and sorrows, reunions and separations, births and deaths, ordinariness and hardships in this sunset moment.