Choices Beneath the Moonlight

The banners fluttered along both banks, heralding the gradual onset of what seemed to be a fierce battle.

On the Xuanyuan side, nearly a hundred large vessels were tethered together along the riverbank, complemented by smaller boats linked with iron chains, forming a magnificent spectacle on the Biluo River.

Groups of soldiers, numbering close to a hundred, were sprinting back and forth on the ships, striving to familiarize themselves with this unique battlefield before the impending dawn assault.

The sun had completely dipped below the horizon, and twilight gradually enveloped the scene. Unlike usual nights, there were no bonfires lit on the banks where the armies of Feng Lan and Bai Chu were stationed; instead, it lay in a blanket of darkness. Though the moon was not particularly full tonight, the silvery light was still quite bright, casting a slender crescent that resembled a sharp, curved blade.

Xuan Yue stood by the river, draped in a cloak that Bai Pingting had just brought her. Winter had not yet fully relinquished its grip, especially here by the river, where the night winds howled more fiercely. The water surface was once again shrouded in mist, creating a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere under the moonlight.

Xuan Yue stood by the riverbank, her hair and cloak dancing in the chilly winds of the night, a shiver running through her.

"Princess," Bai Pingting called softly, sensing the peculiar atmosphere of the evening. Not only was Green Clothes absent, but so were Yi Lan and the others. Earlier in the afternoon, Green Clothes had left the camp, calling for the group to follow, and afterward, Yue Ying had emerged, her face aglow with joy.

"Hmm." Xuan Yue replied softly, not turning back.

Bai Pingting approached Xuan Yue, following her gaze across the wide river, where distant flickers of light appeared like candles against the dark backdrop.

"If we win this battle, how long will it take to defeat Xuanyuan?" 

Bai Pingting's voice was gentle, but Xuan Yue could clearly sense her yearning.

"Are you missing your brother?" 

"Does the princess not miss the prince consort?" Bai Pingting countered.

Miss? How could she not? From childhood, she had always been by his side, serving him, and never had she been away from him for such a long time. His health had always been poor, and she worried whether Yun Qinghen could care for him alone. The court was fraught with troubles, and he was careless with his health. When he fell ill, he would be all alone in the vast palace of Feng Kingdom, how lonely that must be.

"I do not." Xuan Yue replied without hesitation, though her words bore an air of unintentional confession.

Bai Pingting scrutinized Xuan Yue in silence. Ever since they had left Lan Kingdom, she had rarely found herself alone with the princess. Now, it was just the two of them, and she increasingly felt that she no longer understood the princess.

"Sister Pingting, I know you miss your brother." Xuan Yue said with a light laugh. "Once this battle is over, you should return to Feng Kingdom."

Xuan Yue suddenly turned to face Bai Pingting. "I worry about him being alone in Feng Kingdom. You have always been by his side to care for him. If you return, I will feel more at ease. With Green Clothes and the others here, I can look after myself. It will not be so easy for anyone to bully me."

Lately, she had been plagued by an ominous premonition, as though something was about to happen. An uneasy feeling gnawed at her heart, yet she could not pinpoint its source—was it her brother, Lan Yi Xuan, or herself?

"What about the princess? The person His Highness wishes to see the most is you. If you were to return, he would surely be overjoyed." 

Bai Pingting gazed at the river, her soft expression suddenly resolute. "Caring for the princess is my mission. If you are happy and content, His Highness can be at ease too. Protecting you fulfills the promise I made to my grandfather. Unless the world is truly at peace and you no longer face any danger, I shall not leave your side."

Happy and content? Xuan Yue turned her head away, taking a deep breath. The night breeze stung her nose, bringing an urge to weep. She dreaded discussing such matters with Sister Pingting. Did she see through something? A myriad of suppressed struggles weighed heavily on her heart. Even the joy and happiness she once bore while shouldering burdens was now beyond her reach.

"I heard from Green Clothes that the ministers of Lan Kingdom have used your residence at Bai's as an excuse to petition His Highness to take a concubine." 

Bai Pingting fixed her gaze on Xuan Yue, choosing not to continue. She could not believe that the princess was unaware of this issue. But why was she showing no reaction? Hadn't they promised to be together for a lifetime? Now, someone was threatening her happiness, and why was she not fighting back? Suddenly, Bai Pingting recalled what Xuan Yue had said at Yuxuan Hall last time—could it be that she truly wanted the prince consort to take a concubine?

Seeing Xuan Yue silent for a long moment, she pressed on, "I heard that the prince consort has stated he will allow the ministers to propose the matter of taking a concubine only after you return."

This tactic of retreating to advance was obvious to her. The princess could not possibly be oblivious. The ministers were merely taking advantage of her absence from Lan Kingdom to stir trouble. Once she returned, if she truly defeated Xuanyuan and returned in triumph, not even the boldest minister would dare challenge her authority.

"Why did the princess choose to stay in Bai Manor?" She had wanted to ask this question for a long time. It was no secret that Bai Zhanting had feelings for the princess; such an act would inevitably attract criticism from others. She could not fathom why the princess would provide them with such an excuse.

Xuan Yue stared blankly at the river. The distant lights flickered in the enveloping mist, seeming both near and far.

"Princess, have you and the prince consort had a falling out?" 

Bai Pingting's gaze was unwavering, and without the campfires lit at night, the surroundings were shrouded in darkness. With the faint moonlight illuminating Xuan Yue's face, she would not miss any subtle changes in her expression. But Xuan Yue was not one to be unsettled by such scrutiny; she simply lifted her lips, wearing an expression of calm detachment.

"Sister Pingting, if I could only choose one between my brother and Lan Yi Xuan, whom do you think I should choose?" 

Bai Pingting stared at Xuan Yue in shock. She had not anticipated such a question. After a moment of stunned silence, she managed to ask, "Why would the princess ask this? Has something happened?"

The prince consort? His Highness? This choice was not difficult for Bai Pingting. If it were her, she would undoubtedly choose His Highness. But for the princess—one was the person she loved most, the other was the one closest to her. If it were the princess, what would she choose?

Xuan Yue gazed at Bai Pingting for a while before letting out a soft laugh. "It's nothing, just idle musings. What about you?" 

"…" Bai Pingting looked at her in confusion.

"If I could only choose one between my brother and me, Sister Pingting, who would you choose?" 

Bai Pingting stared blankly at Xuan Yue, her heart suddenly tightening. She did not know if Xuan Yue would feel the same way when making her choice, but thinking about the princess having to choose between her brother and Lan Yi Xuan made her heart ache, as if it were being tightly twisted. The more she pondered, the more it hurt.

Xuan Yue observed the sudden pallor on Bai Pingting's face. "I was merely joking; why take it seriously? Don't think too much about it. Between my brother and me, you will never have to choose."

Such unbearable pain, she could endure alone, without dragging anyone else into her suffering.

"After this battle, if all goes well, you can return to Feng Kingdom next year. I'll have my brother marry you, and you will become my sister-in-law. As for me, I've grown accustomed to idleness; the world suits me best as a wanderer." Her brother, being so sensitive, would surely notice any hint of her distress. Rather than allow all three of them to feel unhappy, it was better for her to be cast away alone. After all, she knew that whether it was familial love or romantic love, they thrived in freedom, never truly departed.

Xuan Yue withdrew her gaze. The two remained silent for a while. After some time had passed, she thought Bai Pingting would no longer speak, but she suddenly said, "Princess, if you could only choose one between yourself and His Highness, I would choose you."

Her tone was resolute, filled with determination. "You are a strong person, princess. No matter the circumstances, you face them with a smile. Even though I sense you carry burdens, you seem to live so freely. I would tell His Highness that you are doing well and are happy, and that he need not worry with me by your side. If I were to be beside His Highness—over the years, he has longed for you every day, just as you have for him; both of you have endured so much."

She was a woman, and while she understood His Highness's feelings for the princess, witnessing his yearning for her still stirred a pang of jealousy within her. She didn't wish to feel envious of the princess; for all these years, she had stood by His Highness's side, yet she had never been able to displace the princess's position in his heart. Having spent so long beside the princess, she wondered if, when he thought of her, he might also recall her kindness. As long as he remembered her in his heart, that was worth everything, wasn't it?

"Unless there comes a day when His Highness can truly set his mind at ease regarding the princess, I shall never leave your side."

Xuan Yue lowered her gaze to the hand clasped by Bai Ping Ting. Thus, her choice must be right; one cannot disregard everything for the sake of love. Even without Lan Yi Xuan, she could still live well, just as she always had.

"Sister Ping Ting, why do you seem utterly unperturbed? Xuanyuan could attack at any moment."

"I have faith in the princess. The princess I know has never been one to yield easily. If she is not worried, why should I be?"

Xuan Yue chuckled softly in response, "Would you like to know what I instructed Yue Ying and the others to do?"

Bai Ping Ting gazed at Xuan Yue with suspicion, and Xuan Yue tightened her grip on Bai Ping Ting's hand, leaning against her shoulder. "Then let us enjoy the splendid view by the riverside together."