May You Stand Tall as a Green Pine

One year, Zhou Lin, Prince Nanxian and commander of the Red Feather Army, the pillar of Wenxia’s military and a general who had never lost a battle, died in the army’s final fight against the Shiqiang. The Shiqiang kingdom fell, and Wenxia lost its brightest star.

A year later, the Northern Rong suddenly invaded Wenxia and seized several cities in quick succession. The Emperor appointed Feng Long, eldest son of the Feng family, as commander of the Red Feather Army.

Zhou Qi, the sole disciple of Prince Nanxian Zhou Lin, wanted to see whether this celebrated prodigy truly had what it took to shoulder the same burden as her master. So she joined the Red Feather Army and followed it into battle, rising from a lowly infantry recruit to an officer’s guard.

“He’s a good general,” Zhou Qi said of Feng Long.

In the decisive battle, Zhou Qi of the Red Feather Army died, only to be reborn as Cheng Qingqian, the third daughter of the Pingchang Marquis Cheng family.

When she saw Feng Long again, Cheng Qingqian pretended not to know him and did everything she could to avoid getting too close.

The more she tried, the tighter fate’s threads drew around them…

Though he poured his heart out to her, she turned a blind eye. Feng Long pressed her at every turn. “Cheng Qingqian, do you even have a heart?”

Of course she did. It belonged to him.

One day, as if in a dream, the man who should have died long ago appeared before her, clad in white, his dark hair flowing, untouched by the mundane world.

Zhou Lin beckoned to her. “Xiao Qi, come here.” Dazed, she walked up to him, right in front of Feng Long.

The fear of losing her filled the usually gentle general with fury and resentment. He left her alone for days.

“Feng Long, you mustn’t hurt me, lie to me, or leave me behind,” the woman warned stubbornly.

The young general agreed to everything, cherishing her as if she might break.

“Husband and wife are one, bound together forever. I would follow you through fire and water. But Feng Long, you broke your promise…”

“Then I don’t want you anymore…”