The wooden cabin door opened. Night rushed in, the oil lamp flickered, and the person sitting at the table appeared like a shadow.
This shadow was slender, as if it would scatter with a gust of wind.
The girl who ran in stopped her feet, making even her breathing quieter, lowering her voice. “Aunt, it’s confirmed that Zhong Changrong went to the capital. Also, I asked around in the commandery city—the officials are cursing General Chu, saying he doesn’t know his place and is going to anger His Majesty again by entering the capital.”
The figure at the desk was silent for a moment. “He hasn’t sent anyone to the capital in many years.”
Her voice was gentle and pleasant to hear.
The girl clenched her hands and snorted. “Whether he sends people to the capital or not, others won’t know anyway. Those officials in the commandery city don’t know his true capabilities.”
The woman’s shadow gave a soft laugh. “Xiao Man, what I meant was, all these years he hasn’t sent Zhong Changrong to the capital. Zhong Changrong is his right-hand man and doesn’t leave his side easily.”
Xiao Man made a sound of understanding, but wasn’t particularly happy about it, muttering, “It’s been so many years without contact. Who knows if Zhong Changrong is still his right-hand man or not.”
The figure under the lamp fell silent.
Xiao Man immediately panicked, cursing herself silently, and hurriedly searched for something to say. “Then, what is Zhong Changrong going to the capital for?” She had a flash of inspiration. “Is he going to fetch Chu Zhao?”
After speaking, her face lit up with delight at her own cleverness.
“That’s right, he must be going to fetch Chu Zhao.”
“Aunt, Chu Zhao is coming back.”
The figure under the lamp shook her head. “When A’Zhao left, Zhong Changrong didn’t escort her. Just to bring her back, he wouldn’t specifically send Zhong Changrong either. If Zhong Changrong is going to fetch her, the matter definitely isn’t that simple.”
The figure swayed and stood up.
“There must be something else, and this matter must be very urgent. It might even threaten A’Zhao, which is why he’s sending Zhong Changrong.”
As she spoke, she paced in the room, stirring up a breeze. The weak oil lamp sputtered and went out, and the room was completely swallowed by darkness.
Xiao Man raised her hand and slapped herself. Why did she have to mention Chu Zhao!
“Aunt, aren’t you overthinking this? What could happen?”
“Even back then, when things were like that, nothing happened.”
The figure in the darkness stopped, saying eerily, “Even back then, when things were like that, he didn’t send Zhong Changrong to the capital to see the Emperor.”
With that, she walked toward the door.
“No, I must go ask him what exactly is happening.”
But having stepped one foot over the threshold, the other foot still stopped. The tall, slender figure stood motionless in the night.
“I said I would never set foot in Luo City again in this lifetime, never see him again.”
Her voice was low and murmuring.
“He kept his word and left A’Zhao here to raise. I must also keep my word.”
This keeping of one’s word had truly made Aunt suffer.
Actually, Xiao Man didn’t quite understand. For people like them, keeping one’s word was just something said casually. She made promises to her sisters and brothers seven or eight hundred times a year, and failed to keep them over nine hundred times.
However, thinking of the matters between Aunt and that man, she didn’t dare say or ask more.
She only watched the silhouette standing at the threshold. Even Xiao Man, a youth who knew no sorrow, could feel the sadness.
“Aunt.” She called out. “Then let’s go to the capital.”
The rigid figure stirred. Go to the capital?
“You said you wouldn’t set foot in Luo City, but you didn’t say you couldn’t set foot in the capital.” Xiao Man became increasingly convinced this was a good idea, her face lighting up. “We’ll also go to the capital. By watching Zhong Changrong, we can find out what he’s going to do, and we can also see Chu Zhao.”
See Chu Zhao.
Counting the days, it had actually only been a little over a year since she left, but it felt as long as a lifetime.
Go to the capital—
The other foot lifted and crossed the threshold. One step, two steps, three steps, faster and faster, the slender figure like a sharp sword ready to cleave the night.
This mountain path was rugged, but for her, it was like walking on flat ground.
Xiao Man had to run to keep up.
“Aunt, go slower.” She couldn’t help but call out.
As her words fell, the running figure stopped.
“Xiao Man.” She said. “I can’t go.”
Why did she have to tell her to slow down? Xiao Man raised her hand and slapped herself again. Was she really a jinx like Third Brother said? Did everything she say go wrong?
“Aunt.” Xiao Man hurried to say. “Don’t worry about the stronghold. With everyone there, nothing will happen. Those soldiers and officers are foolish and only dare to shout. They won’t even enter the mountains. When we come out, they run away instead.”
“I’m not worried about the stronghold.” The shadow said softly. “I cannot leave.”
Then what was she worried about? Could there be something more worthy of Aunt’s worry than Chu Zhao? Xiao Man didn’t understand.
But the shadow said no more, turning around and grasping Xiao Man’s hand. “Xiao Man, you take some people to the capital.”
Xiao Man made a sound of surprise. “Me? I can’t do it.”
“Xiao Man, Aunt knows this is hard on you.” The woman’s voice was low, full of apology. “You’ve never traveled far either, and it’s such a long journey.”
Xiao Man laughed. “Aunt, what are you saying? It’s not that I’m afraid of hardship. Besides, how have I never traveled? I’ve been to all eight cities and twenty-nine strongholds in this commandery. Added up, that’s enough for two round trips to the capital.”
The woman’s voice laughed. “I know, Xiao Man is very capable.”
Xiao Man felt a bit embarrassed again, holding the woman’s delicate, boneless hand. “Aunt, what I mean is, wouldn’t it be better if you went yourself?”
The woman shook her head. “No, it wouldn’t be good for me to see her.”
Xiao Man sighed inwardly. What a sin—the person she thought of every moment, day and night, yet she couldn’t see her, didn’t dare see her.
“Alright.” She nodded. “Aunt, I’ll take people there. When I handle things, you can rest assured.”
The woman gripped her hand and gently shook it. “Although Xiao Man is young, I’m most reassured when you handle things. Moreover, Aunt is very grateful to you. It’s Aunt who, for A’Zhao’s sake, must trouble you, when you’re also a child—”
Xiao Man stamped her foot with a cry. “Aunt, don’t say anymore. I’m not angry at all.” She reached out and hugged the woman. “Aunt, you miss A’Zhao, but for over ten years, the one who has enjoyed your affection is me. When I was born crying at night, it was you who held me night after night. When I was young and wouldn’t eat, it was you who fed me bite by bite. It was you who taught me to ride horses, taught me martial arts, taught me to read and write, made new clothes for me, and dressed my hair. What you’ve given me is what A’Zhao has never received.”
Without waiting for the woman to speak again, she released her and ran off.
“Aunt, just wait. I’ll go see A’Zhao for you.”
In the pitch-black night on the rugged mountain path, the young girl was like a nimble deer, leaping along, quickly disappearing.
Bird calls rang out in the dense mountain forest, then grew more and more numerous, stretching in an unbroken chain. The majestic, enormous mountain seemed to tremble.
The night wind stirred her dress. Her slender body seemed about to be lifted by the wind and blown away at any moment.
But the woman stood steadily throughout, gazing past layers of mountain shadows, staring fixedly into the distance.
“A’Zhao, Mother has wronged you.” She said softly. “When you were small, I abandoned you. Now I must abandon you again. It’s not that Mother isn’t worried about you, but Mother is more worried about him—”
He first sent their daughter to the capital, and now he had sent his most trusted and reliable brother to the capital. Was he—was something about to happen to him?