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Kneeling with his hands outstretched to receive the decree, Crown Prince Xu's head snapped up at the butler's last words. His hands began to unconsciously lower as the butler stepped forward with the scroll.

"No! Don't," a young woman cried out, her voice muffled from within the grasp of the guards. Her lips clamped shut after a sharp gasp escaped her throat, followed by her head slumping onto the shoulder of one of the guards holding her.

Spinning around, Xu Feng attempted to rush to her aid, but his path was intercepted by his maids.

He scrambled to his feet, his gaze fixed on the now unconscious young woman. Empress Yi, her face etched with a hardened resolve, lifted a hand and ordered the maids to take her away. When Xu Feng hesitated to let her go, the stoic butler approached him and signaled to the guards to restrain his movements.

"Mother—" he began, his voice thick with concern.

"—receive the decree," Empress Yi cut him off, her voice steely.  "Or else I'll order for her to be killed."

Xu Feng's eyes flicked down to the decree in the butler's hands, a wave of anxious dread washing over him. His posture slumped slightly, his hands trembling as he contemplated his options.

"Crown Prince," the butler interjected, his voice devoid of warmth, "His Majesty himself ordered this. You know the consequences of defying the King's command."

"—I'm not going!" Xu Feng burst out, defiance flickering in his eyes.  "Second Prince can go in my stead."

The Empress and the butler exchanged a stunned look. Xu Feng stumbled back a step, his defiance wavering under the pressure of their combined stares. Empress Yi, her anger simmering, gripped his shoulder tightly.

"Xu Feng!" she hissed. "Whether you go or he does, the people of Song will still suffer. What matters is the greater good."

"Mother, is that all you care about?" he pleaded, his voice laced with frustration.  "Can't you see what's happening? Father is using this conquest as a pretext to become the sole ruler of the world! Stop supporting him!"

The air crackled with tension.  A stinging slap landed on Xu Feng's left cheek, silencing him instantly.  He raised his hand to his cheek slowly, his eyes locking with his mother's, which blazed with fury.

"You've been pampered for far too long, Xu Feng," she snapped. "Manners have seemingly escaped you. Remember your position! You are the Crown Prince!"

"Perhaps that's because you shielded me from my responsibilities!" he retorted, his voice tight with repressed anger.

The Empress's head snapped back at his accusation.  With a curt nod and a tightly pressed mouth, she turned away from him, flinging her sleeve dismissively.

"Lock her up in the water pavilion until his return," she commanded the maids, her voice cold.  The maids scurried forward and gently lifted the unconscious woman from the guards.  With one last glance at her son, the Empress lowered her eyes and swept out of the courtyard, her maids following in her wake.

Xu Feng watched them go, his shoulders slumping defeatedly.  Slowly, he turned to the butler, who silently extended the red scroll towards him.  He took it with a resigned sigh and marched, head held low, towards the horse paddock.

A guard arrived at his side, offering him a silken undershirt and a set of gleaming golden armor.  Xu Feng donned them with practiced efficiency, then adjusted a silver helmet upon his head.  Mounting his steed, he felt the powerful muscles bunch beneath him as it snorted impatiently.  He pulled back on the reins, urging it forward.  With a flurry of neighs and pounding hooves, the Mobei Army surged forward, bowing in unison as they passed the Crown Prince.

"Set off now!" Xu Feng commanded, his voice heavy but resolute.  "Assist in the taking of Song!"

A chorus of enthusiastic roars rose from the Mobei warriors as their horses turned, their powerful hooves churning the earth.  "Yes!" they cried in unison.  Leading the charge, Xu Feng emerged from the palace gates and raced towards the distant horizon, disappearing into the dense woods that marked the border of Dong State.

As he rode, a heavy veil of clouds settled overhead, and snowflakes began to drift down from the sky, each one a silent herald of the coming cold.

The heavy stomps of hooves crushed the green grass beneath them as they raced after Xu Feng through the snowy woods. Snowflakes swirled around them, clinging to their armor and fur as they rode relentlessly for hours.

With each impatient tug on the reins, Xu Feng urged his horse forward, a frustrated cry escaping his lips.  His breath hung heavy in the frigid air, a wispy cloud against the stark backdrop of the snow-laden landscape.  Finally, he spotted a lone rider approaching from the front.  Pulling back on the reins, he brought his horse to a stop with a sharp neigh.

His soldiers mirrored his halt, their horses snorting and pawing impatiently at the ground.  Xu Feng waited, his hand stroking the mane of his mount, until the Mobei soldier drew close.  The soldier bowed low, his voice a respectful rasp when he spoke.

"Your Highness," he reported.  "The Song gate has been under siege for two days now."

Xu Feng nodded grimly, his lips pressed into a thin line.  He straightened in his saddle, a newfound determination hardening his features.

"Lead the way," he commanded.  "I have an idea."

The soldier acknowledged the order with another bow and spurred his horse forward.  Within moments, the entire Mobei contingent was thundering after him, their horses a storm of churning hooves and excited whinnies.

It wasn't long before they reached Song.  Xu Feng reined his horse in, the sight before him turning his stomach sour.  The ground between the besieged city and the Great Wei army was a gruesome tableau of dead bodies, the crimson stains of war stark against the white snow.  Song soldiers lay mingled with Wei troops, a testament to the desperate struggle for the city.  His gaze flickered over the scene, a knot of dread tightening in his gut as he spotted the bodies of several Song civilians piled near the city gates.

"We're under your command, Your Highness!" a Mobei soldier shouted, pulling him from his grim observations.

A guttural sound escaped Xu Feng's throat, his heart hammering a frantic rhythm against his ribs.  He raised his hand, the order hanging heavy in the air.  But before it could escape his lips, a shriek tore through the sky.  An arrow, loosed from the battlements above, found its mark, burying itself deep into the chest of one of his soldiers.  The man tumbled from his horse with a startled cry, his life extinguished before he hit the ground.

The air erupted with the clatter of arrows, a deadly rain falling upon the Mobei ranks.  Reacting with lightning reflexes, Xu Feng roared, "Attack!"

The order galvanized his men into action.  Screams ripped through the air as the Mobei army charged, a wave of steel and fury aimed at the Song gate.  But the defenders were well-prepared.  Boiling oil rained down from the battlements, searing flesh and sending panicked Mobei soldiers scrambling for cover.  Arrows continued to find their mark, thinning the ranks of attackers.

From his vantage point, Xu Feng watched the chaotic battle unfold, a cold fury festering in his gut.  His gaze fell on the Emperor of Wei, standing atop the gate with a smug expression on his face.  Hatred boiled over, a bitter taste in his mouth.

Suddenly, a deafening crash echoed through the air.  The Wei soldiers had brought up a battering ram, a massive metal beast that slammed against the city gate with relentless force.  The defenders fought back valiantly, hurling flaming projectiles and desperate pleas down at the attackers.  But the assault was relentless.  Finally, with a groan of tortured wood, the gate splintered and gave way.

A collective cheer rose from the Wei soldiers as they surged forward, a ravenous horde eager for plunder.  Xu Feng, however, felt a surge of horror.  His shouted command, "Attack only the royal family! Offer retreat to the rest!" was drowned out by the cacophony of the battle.

He watched in disbelief as the Wei soldiers stormed into the city, their barbarity unchecked.  Women and children were cut down without mercy, their screams lost in the din of war.  Fury and despair battled within him.

"Protect the citizens! To the death!" he roared, his voice hoarse with desperate pleading.

But his orders were lost in the chaos.  The city was ablaze, houses burning and collapsing as the flames spread unchecked.  The stench of death hung heavy in the air, a sickening counterpoint to the bloodcurdling screams of the innocents caught in the carnage.

Turning to his trusted aide, Xu Feng's voice trembled with rage.  "Didn't I order them to spare the women and children?"

The aide bowed low, his face pale. "Your Highness," he stammered, "the Mobei Army… they take their orders from their own commanders."

The Governor, face contorted in righteous fury, marched forward with his men, swords flashing in the dying light.  "Your Emperor is truly a monster!" he roared.  "Why attack us after we reached an agreement mere days ago?!"

Confusion clouded Xu Feng's features.  Before he could utter a response, a glint of steel caught his eye.  The Governor's trusted aide, a sly smile twisting his lips, lunged at the Governor from behind, his blade finding its mark true.  The Governor crumpled to the ground, a strangled cry escaping his lips.

"Why did you…" Xu Feng began, his voice thick with shock, but the answer died on his lips as another explosion rocked the city.  A deafening boom filled the air as a fireball erupted above the Song palace, flames engulfing the structure in a fiery inferno.

"Your Highness!" a startled cry echoed through the chaos.

I stumbled back, his body slamming against a crumbling wall.  Pain lanced through him, a dull ache radiating from every joint.  I reached down instinctively for my sword, but a flash of crimson feathers filled his vision. The phoenix, its eyes blazing with predatory hunger, sent the sword clattering across the floor with a flick of its powerful wing.

A metallic tang filled my mouth as blood trickled down my lips.  A wave of dizziness washed over me, my strength draining away with every ragged breath. I coughed, blood staining the snow red, and attempted to crawl towards the discarded sword.

The phoenix stalked towards me, its movements slow and deliberate, toying with its prey. My fingers stretched out desperately towards the hilt, a spark of defiance flickering in his eyes.  As long as I could reach the sword, there was a chance, however slim.

Just as my fingertips brushed the cool metal, a searing pain erupted in my back. I slammed against the wall once more, my breath knocked out of me.  My body felt like a broken doll, every bone screaming in protest.  I tried to rise, but my legs refused to cooperate, collapsing beneath me.

A booming voice filled the chaotic scene.  "If you can defeat the phoenix," Zhao Yun declared, the words carrying a strange, otherworldly resonance, "I promise to take you in as my disciple."

I looked up through blurry eyes, his vision filled with the imposing figure of the robed stranger.  Taking a ragged breath, I reached out once more for the sword, his grip tightening around the hilt.  Heaving myself onto his feet, I faced the untamed phoenix, my breaths shallow and ragged.

The beast let out a screech, its wings unfurling, and launched itself towards him.  In a desperate maneuver, I slid beneath it at the last second, thrusting my sword upwards with a cry.  The blade found its mark, burying itself deep into the phoenix's back.  A shriek split the air as the creature stumbled backward, its fiery eyes filled with pain and rage.

Acting on pure instinct, I pulled a pouch from his inner robe.  With a swift movement, he threw the contents into the air – a cloud of blinding yellow powder filled the battlefield.  The phoenix screeched again, its eyes squeezed shut as the powder stung its vision.

Seizing this opportunity, I propelled myself forward, using the wall for leverage. I leaped with a final burst of strength, launching myself onto the creature's back.  With a roar, I plunged my sword into its chest, the blade finding its heart.

The phoenix let out a final, ear-splitting wail before collapsing to the ground.  Its body twitched and convulsed for a moment, then faded into wisps of dissipating fire, leaving a trail of embers that quickly died out.

I slumped back against the wall, his strength spent.  My fingers loosened and the sword clattered to the floor.  I felt blood oozing from a dozen wounds, staining the snow crimson.  My vision swam, darkness creeping at the edges.  Through the haze, I saw Zhao Yun rushing towards me, his face etched with concern.

A weak smile formed on my lips.  Blood gurgled in his throat as I rasped out a question, "D-do I… qualify… now?"

Several disciples, clad in dark robes and concealing their faces with cloth masks, patrolled the steep, snow-capped mountains. The surrounding peaks were adorned with an abundance of dark purple flowers, their fragrance heavy in the air and marking the entrance to a hidden realm. A shimmering barrier, like an invisible wall, divided the mountain range, separating the mundane world from this secret haven.

Carrying woven baskets overflowing with the same dark blossoms, the disciples meticulously decorated the mountainside with them, their movements precise and silent. Two figures, Zi Su and another disciple, approached a chamber within the barrier, their footsteps crunching softly on the snow. Each held a red lantern, their light casting an otherworldly glow on the frosted path.

"Master, Zi Su seeks your audience," Zi Su announced, her voice echoing through the silent chamber.  Raising a hand, she prompted the disciples guarding the entrance to step aside, granting them entry.

The two disciples bowed respectfully before turning and placing the lanterns in designated holders at opposite corners of the room.  Heavy drapes shrouded the windows, plunging the chamber into an almost perpetual twilight.  Only the soft glow of flickering candles illuminated the interior, creating an air of mystery and intrigue.

Zi Su finished sipping a fragrant herbal tea and set the cup down with a delicate clink.  Her eyes, sharp and intelligent, flicked towards the other disciple, dismissing them with a gesture.

"Master," Zi Su began, her voice low and measured.  "The investigation into Elder Jing Ke's whereabouts within the Immortals Sect remains inconclusive.  However, our informant maintains their position undercover."  She paused, then placed a small, intricately woven basket on the table before the woman.

"Here are the chrysanthemum cakes you requested, Master."

A smile, fleeting but genuine, graced the woman's lips as her gaze fell on the basket.  She turned her head slightly, revealing a glimpse of silver streaking her otherwise dark hair.

"Excellent, Zi Su," she murmured.  "See to it that these are delivered to the Immortals Sect within the week.  Her birthday approaches, and these are a favorite."

A flicker of surprise crossed Zi Su's face.  "Master," she ventured cautiously, "are you certain A'Ying is the recipient? Forgive my curiosity, but who is she to you?"

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Is Zi Su right?

What relationship does she have with A'Ying?

Will Zhao Yun accept her as his disciple?

Who released the bomb in Song and for what reason?