Two months later, in early spring, deep in the vast plains outside Suye City, the horizon was still a continuous sheet of unmelted snow. But near the city and inhabited areas, the soil that had been frozen throughout the long winter had begun to slowly soften. After several consecutive days of clear weather, at the front of the low buildings of the storehouse, sparse patches of damp moss had quietly emerged from the cracks in the stones at the base of the walls.

After noon, Pei You’an rode Taxue to Suye City. News had come that Elder Master Tang had personally arrived in Suye City and requested Pei You’an’s presence. Shortly after the battle, Elder Master Tang sent someone to temporarily take over the garrison commissioner’s office in Suye City. Pei You’an had returned to the storehouse, waiting for further disposition while he and Jiafu settled into their new life as first-time parents, caring for Ci’er and helping Jiafu recover. Amid their busy days, two months had passed without their noticing.

Regarding the previous incident, although Elder Master Tang had previously instructed Pei You’an to act “as expedient,” the degree to which he had done so could be considered, in severe terms, rebellion and treason. During these two months, Elder Master Tang must have reported the matter to the Emperor.

Though by intuition, Jiafu felt there shouldn’t be any major issue—the Emperor surely wouldn’t go so far as to behead Pei You’an—she couldn’t be certain what the Emperor was currently thinking. If he was still angry with Pei You’an, he might take the opportunity to make things difficult for him, perhaps increasing his punishment. So after Pei You’an left, Jiafu felt somewhat anxious. She passed the time with her son and two maids, doing needlework in the room. When night fell, after playing with her son for a while, seeing he was tired, she went to bed to nurse him. After Ci’er had his fill, he gradually fell asleep.

Jiafu leaned against the headboard and picked up the tiger-head shoe she hadn’t finished during the day, slowly sewing the small tiger on the toe. Suddenly, she heard the door being gently pushed open. She turned her head to see Pei You’an had returned.

Pei You’an removed his outer garment, washed his hands, and quietly approached the bedside. He leaned over to look at his sleeping son, gently stroking his little cheek, a smile appearing on his lips. Then he sat on the edge of the bed and reached his hand toward Jiafu.

Jiafu entered his embrace and asked in a low voice if he had eaten. He replied that he had dined with Elder Master Tang in the city.

Jiafu saw that he seemed to have something to tell her, so she looked up at him.

Pei You’an gently stroked her beautiful hair that hung down to her waist. “Fu’er, I met with the Elder Master today. The court has approved his retirement, and he will soon return to the interior to lay down his armor and go home. However…”

“The court asked the Elder Master who could replace him, and he recommended me. The court approved. Today, the Elder Master brought the imperial decree…”

He paused.

The imperial decree that Elder Master Tang had read to him today first listed his offenses. The Emperor rebuked him for his audacity and disregard for proper conduct, stating that originally his punishment would have been increased in severity with no leniency. However, considering it was an unavoidable expedient measure at the time, that he ultimately achieved great merit, and that he immediately reported to the Longyou Military Commissioner’s office afterward to confess his guilt, and upon investigation, it was confirmed he acted out of public interest, the punishment was reduced to forFuting one year’s salary. Furthermore, due to Elder Master Tang’s strong recommendation and personal guarantee, the court decided to accept the Elder Master’s recommendation and appoint Pei You’an to succeed as the Longyou Military Commissioner, hoping he would learn from this lesson, serve the Emperor and country faithfully, and not disappoint the court’s high expectations, and so on.

Jiafu breathed a sigh of relief.

She had worried for nothing.

More than a year after leaving the capital, despite this incident, the Emperor not only hadn’t punished him at all but had appointed him as Military Commissioner.

Although in her previous life, Pei You’an had died while serving as Military Commissioner, and in this life, after a circuitous route, he had returned to this position, Jiafu wasn’t worried.

She firmly believed that Pei You’an’s death in Suye City in her previous life must have been connected to Xiao Yintang, which could be inferred from Xiao Yintang’s delirious words before his death.

In this life, Xiao Yintang had been deposed and imprisoned in the Xiao family’s ancestral home in Gengzhou. His chances of making a comeback were extremely slim. As for the deposed Crown Princess Zhang Fengtong, according to Cui Yinshui, she had given birth to a baby girl who died before reaching one month old. Zhang Fengtong, overwhelmed with grief, cried day and night, became ill from missing her daughter, and eventually went mad. She not only lost control of her bodily functions but even mixed filth into her food and ate it in front of palace servants. Everyone was horrified, yet she laughed as if nothing was wrong, talking to her deceased daughter across space and opening her clothes to nurse. By then, half a year had passed. According to the law, she should have been sent to her ancestral home for imprisonment. Elder Zhang, who had already returned home, wrote to the Emperor begging for mercy. The Emperor ordered imperial physicians to examine Zhang Fengtong, and when they confirmed she had truly gone mad, he allowed the Zhang family to take the deposed Crown Princess home. It was said that she was kept confined in a secluded courtyard by her family, never seeing daylight. It seemed that in this life, she would live out her days this way.

Everything was different from before. In this life, even though through twists and turns Pei You’an had returned to Suye City and once again held the position of Military Commissioner, Jiafu knew that he and she would certainly walk hand in hand and grow old together.

“Fu’er, should I accept the position of Military Commissioner or not?” Pei You’an asked suddenly, his expression somewhat solemn after a moment of silence.

Jiafu climbed out of his embrace and looked at him, saying: “Elder Cousin, although you ask me, I know you must already have your thoughts. The seal of the Military Commissioner, though bestowed by the court, and the salary you receive, though paid by the court, those who call you ‘Sir’ and hope you will bring them peaceful days are countless common people. Elder Cousin, you serve as an official not for the Emperor, but for the common people. It was so in the past, and it remains the same now. If you don’t take this position, and someone like Hu Liangcai takes it instead, in the end, it’s the people under his governance who will suffer. Since the court has issued the decree, and the Elder Master has recommended you so strongly and even provided a personal guarantee if you decline…”

Jiafu glanced at him secretly, “That person is, after all, the Emperor. Setting aside whether he might charge you with refusing an imperial decree, wouldn’t you be disappointing the Elder Master’s trust in you?”

After receiving the decree earlier in the day, Pei You’an had been somewhat distracted. Upon returning, he couldn’t help but ask Jiafu, though it was just casual conversation. He hadn’t expected her to advise him in such a manner, with every word seeming to touch his heart. He was momentarily stunned, then felt ashamed and sighed: “Fu’er, I’m ashamed that as a grown man, when faced with this matter, my mind is not as broad as yours, a woman. You’re right. Being an official is for the people, not for a single-family line. With the Elder Master placing such trust in me, how could I disappoint him? This seal was once used by my late father. Now I’ll follow in his footsteps. If I can bring prosperity to the local people, it won’t waste the care and education my late father gave me!”

As they say, those involved are often confused. Given his current relationship with the person in the palace, Jiafu knew he initially had misgivings, which had made him hesitant.

Intelligent people often find their mental knots the hardest to untie. Seeing that her words had cleared his mind, she was inwardly delighted but deliberately frowned: “Elder Cousin, what do you mean by that? Why must a woman’s mind necessarily be narrower than a man’s?”

Pei You’an was startled, then laughed, slapping his forehead. He pulled Jiafu onto his lap, kissing her in apology. That night, the room was filled with boundless warmth. Beside them, Ci’er was also extremely well-behaved, sleeping next to his embracing parents, soundly asleep until dawn.

Half a month later, the former Longyou Military Commissioner resigned, and Pei You’an succeeded to the position.

When the news spread, the entire population of Suye City was in a fervor.

It should be known that after the battle ended, when Pei You’an had handed over the seal to the person sent by Elder Master Tang, taking all responsibility upon himself before leaving the city, the city’s residents had all been anxious for him, fearing the Emperor would punish him. Now hearing such news, how could they not be happy? However, the Longyou Military Commissioner’s office had always been located in Yongzhou, closer to the interior and far from the border city of Suye. While joyful, the people were reluctant to see Pei You’an leave. The next day, many people spontaneously gathered, numbering in the thousands, and proceeded to the storehouse with drums and gongs.

Jiafu was packing things in the room at the time. Pei You’an was lying on the bed, holding Ci’er on his chest, playing with his beloved son. The room was filled with the laughter of father and son.

Having lived here for nearly a year and a half, Jiafu felt somewhat reluctant to move. As they say, even a worn-out broom is treasured by its owner. Even the old bed whose leg Pei You’an had repaired now seemed full of warm memories. She was busy deciding what to keep and what to take when suddenly she heard a distant clamor from outside. Old Ding came running in a hurry, shouting from a distance: “Master Pei, many people have come from the city to see you and Madam off!”

Pei You’an sat up and exchanged a glance with Jiafu. Jiafu quickly took Ci’er and handed him to Dianxiang, then helped Pei You’an straighten his clothes. The two went outside to see a crowd of people gathered beyond the storehouse gate. Some held chickens, some carried wine, and a small boy was clutching a lamb. Seeing Pei You’an and Jiafu emerge, he ran forward quickly, holding the lamb high. An old man kowtowed and said: “This is my grandson. This lamb is one he raised. He brought it today. Please don’t refuse, Sir and Madam. It’s just a small token of appreciation from our family!”

As he finished speaking, the others also knelt, each eager to present what they had brought.

Pei You’an hurriedly went to help the old man up, asking everyone to rise, saying he wouldn’t accept the gifts. But the people wouldn’t listen. Just as he helped one person up, another would kneel, surrounding him. One person said: “If not for you protecting the city that day, we wouldn’t know what would have become of us, let alone these gifts! Please, Sir, you must accept them!”

Jiafu was moved and proud to have such a husband. Seeing the child still holding the lamb, kneeling like his grandfather—the lamb, though only a few months old, had been raised to be plump, showing it had been well cared for, and it seemed heavy for the child who was struggling to hold it up—she went over, took the lamb from his hands, and smiled: “You must like this little lamb very much? Take it back. Master Pei won’t accept it.”

The child seemed shy but shook his head, refusing.

Pei You’an showed a touched expression. He raised his hand to signal for quiet, then said: “I have merely done my duty, yet have received such affection from you all. I am deeply grateful and humbled. In my youth, I visited Suye City twice and had special feelings for this place. This city borders the frontier, has a large population, and is strategically important. To be honest with you all, I am considering moving the Military Commissioner’s office here, which would be more beneficial for guarding the border in the future. I appreciate your kindness today, but please take all these things back!”

The people were already reluctant to see him leave. Hearing that he wanted to move the office here, they erupted in cheers. However, they refused to take back their gifts. They kowtowed to the couple, put down their gifts, and began to leave, all with happy faces.

Even with his matchless intelligence, Pei You’an was at a loss for what to do with so many people who insisted on leaving their gifts behind.

Jiafu stepped forward and called out to the crowd: “Everyone, the Emperor has a strict order that if officials take anything from the people, it is considered corruption. Even if the people willingly give gifts, they must not be accepted, or it would violate the laws of our Great Wei Dynasty. Please listen to Master Pei. We are deeply grateful for your kindness, but these things must be taken back!”

Reminded of this, Pei You’an quickly clasped his hands in respect.

After speaking, Jiafu personally picked up the little lamb and placed it back in the child’s arms, smiling as she helped him to his feet.

The people looked at each other for a moment, then had no choice but to pick up what they had just put down. In their hearts, they felt even more admiration and respect for this new Military Commissioner couple who would soon arrive. They knelt once more to express their gratitude, then rose and left happily.

A month later, the court approved the relocation of the Longyou Military Commissioner’s office to Suye City, establishing it in the original garrison commissioner’s office.

On this day at the end of April in the third year of Zhaoping, escorted by a unit of soldiers, Pei You’an led Jiafu and Ci’er, who were seated in a carriage, into Suye City amid the welcoming drumbeats of people lining the streets, moving into the Military Commissioner’s residence.