Chapter 1 Fame and Fortune Achieved, The First to Fall Is the One I Love

“The army has triumphed and is returning to the capital! Hurry, let’s go catch a glimpse of General Qin Qingxue’s magnificence.”

“Three battles, three victories, forcing the barbarians back five hundred miles—truly, a woman’s valor equals any man’s!”

“I heard His Majesty has already bestowed upon Qin Qingxue the title of General Changying. She is the first female general in the history of our Dayuan Dynasty.”

“I also heard that the Peerless Lord, the direct disciple of the Master of Yunlu Pavilion, rushed to the front lines to assist. His contribution to the defeat of the barbarians was unparalleled.”

“They say whoever gains Yunlu Pavilion gains the world. With Yunlu Pavilion’s full support, our Dayuan Dynasty will surely sweep away all foreign threats.”

…

Many in the capital were ecstatic upon hearing news of the army’s victorious return. They assembled outside the city gates, eager to witness the only female general of the Dayuan Dynasty, Qin Qingxue, and to catch sight of the legendary Peerless Lord.

“Your Highness, the young lady has finally fulfilled her lifelong wish! And even achieved great merit! Now that she’s back, you can petition His Majesty to grant your marriage,” said Xiaocui, the Sixth Prince Li Ye’s maid, her face beaming with joy.

Beside her stood another maid, Lin Yue, sword in arms, silent and aloof. Her beauty was stunning, but her demeanor was icy, as if she were carved from unyielding frost, warning all to keep their distance. The two maids could not have been more different in temperament.

Li Ye nodded slightly. “Yes, at last, the day we’ve waited for has come.”

The image of Qin Qingxue’s lovely face surfaced in his mind, and the corners of his lips curled into an irrepressible smile.

Soon, the army appeared before them. The crowds lining both sides of the road could hardly contain their excitement and broke out in raucous cheers.

“There’s General Qin! Truly the pride of our dynasty—her heroic bearing rivals any man’s!”

“Wow! Is that the Peerless Lord? Seeing him today, he lives up to every tale. As elegant as jade upon the road, unmatched in all the world! Even more handsome and dashing than the legends described.”

“With the support of Yunlu Pavilion, the preeminent institution under heaven, the Dayuan Dynasty will flourish for decades.”

“I can’t help but think General Qin and the Peerless Lord make a perfect pair! Riding together like that, they look like a match made in heaven.”

“Hush, don’t talk nonsense! Everyone knows General Qin is the Sixth Prince’s woman. If the wrong ears hear, you could be punished.”

“Let’s not mention the Sixth Prince. Never seen a prince reeking of money like him—such disgrace to the royal family.”

“Ha! Everyone knows the Sixth Prince is of concubine birth and shunned by all. How could he compare to the exalted direct disciple of Yunlu Pavilion?”

Li Ye’s indifference to power was well known; instead, he spent his days immersed in commerce. In the old order of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, merchants held the lowest status. To the elite, engaging in trade was utterly shameful. Even those with business affairs would leave them to servants and never manage them openly.

If wealth was the measure, Li Ye was the richest prince, bar none. Yet he was the target of constant scorn.

Li Ye had long grown accustomed to such talk.

They detest the stench of money, yet everything requires it. War, disaster relief—what doesn’t demand mountains of silver? Li Ye could scarcely bother to stoop to their level.

As the army drew near, the scene became clear. Qin Qingxue was clad in white armor, her figure graceful and commanding, her beauty dazzling the crowds, who cheered all the louder. Beside her, riding in tandem, was a young man in white robes, elegant and handsome, a sword at his waist. The sight of him sent many women swooning.

Li Ye felt his heart tighten, his face darkening. His instincts screamed that Qin Qingxue had changed. The two exchanged frequent, lingering glances, their eyes brimming with unspoken affection—far too intimate for mere friends.

Li Ye and his maids, surrounded by guards, were impossible to miss. Yet Qin Qingxue didn’t so much as glance their way.

Xiaocui, too, noticed, her face full of disbelief. The once gentle and dependent Qin Qingxue seemed utterly transformed.

Glancing at the prince, Xiaocui’s eyes welled with worry.

Meanwhile, Qin Qingxue and the Peerless Lord whispered and laughed together, as if they were the true couple.

When they passed directly before Li Ye, only then did Qin Qingxue’s gaze flicker his way—devoid of the joy or tenderness of their previous meetings, only a hint of distance in her eyes.

Affection is a strange thing; a single look can betray everything.

Li Ye stood there, face composed, looking at Qin Qingxue.

After a few seconds, Qin Qingxue seemed to steel herself. She dismounted and approached him.

Expressionless, she spoke: “Your Highness, I am deeply sorry, but I cannot fulfill the promise I made you.”

“Through leading troops in battle, I’ve discovered what I truly seek in life. I will become the greatest general of the age, admired by all beneath heaven.”

“Only by fighting side by side with the Peerless Lord did I learn what a real man is—one who can take an enemy’s head among thousands, who laughs in the face of peril. That is the kind of partner worthy of me, Qin Qingxue.”

“I earned His Majesty’s recognition through my own merit, becoming the Dayuan Dynasty’s first female general. I could never spend my days scheming over gold and silver with you, Your Highness.”

“I’ve made up my mind to be with the Peerless Lord, and I already have Yunlu Pavilion’s blessing. I hope Your Highness will grant us your blessing as well, and not trouble me further!”

Suddenly, Li Ye burst into laughter, radiant and open, yet his eyes were cold as winter.

Achieved this all on her own?

How could she say such a thing with a straight face?

The Qin family was nothing but a declining house of warriors, mired in debt, their very residence purchased by Li Ye. Even their relationship began with Qin Qingxue drawing close to him, the entire Qin family scheming to create opportunities for their encounters.

Of course, Li Ye had been attracted to her strengths—her decisiveness, her resilience, her ideals—so different from most women of the era.

After they came together, Li Ye spared nothing in loving her. Qin Qingxue loved martial arts and sought to revive her family’s legacy; Li Ye hired the best masters to teach her, engaged renowned strategists to instruct her in the art of war.

When creditors hounded the Qin family, Li Ye paid off all debts with a wave of his hand, lifting them into a life of luxury.

When Qin Qingxue wished to command troops, it was Li Ye who pleaded with his father the emperor to secure her a post.

In the campaign against the barbarians, the greatest challenge was the transport of supplies—long distances, terrible roads, a logistical nightmare even for the Ministry of Revenue.

Li Ye spent his personal fortune, mobilizing all his commercial resources to ensure the army was well supplied, commissioning the finest weapons, using his wealth to quietly secure the best soldiers from the Ministry of War, and paying handsomely for intelligence on the enemy through his business networks.

Without his secret efforts, how could Qin Qingxue have won those victories?

To be blunt, with such overwhelming support from Li Ye, any competent commander could have led the army to triumph.

Yet Qin Qingxue attributed all credit to herself, or to the Peerless Lord and Yunlu Pavilion, utterly ignoring Li Ye’s help. Worse, she betrayed their bond, flirting with another man in public, and even scorned Li Ye’s trading, calling him reeking of money.

Without the fortune he lavished and his unwavering support, how could she have attained her current glory?

In that moment, Li Ye let everything go.

He was no sycophant—he simply gave his all to love the woman he cherished.

Now that she had chosen to end it, Li Ye would never cling or beg.