On the day the Emperor returned to court in triumph, spring rain had been falling steadily for several days, but this couldn’t dampen the people’s enthusiasm in the slightest.

Three days in advance, the routes were already packed with people. The court had to deploy troops to clear them, otherwise the officials wouldn’t even have had a place to stand.

In the capital, the positions in wine shops and teahouses along both sides of the main street where the Emperor would pass were worth a thousand gold pieces and hard to obtain.

Qi Leyun hadn’t spent any money yet sat in the best position. She didn’t need to wake early, travel far, or stand outside in the open. Holding her tea and leaning against the window, lifting her eyes, she could see not only the street but also gaze toward the city gate. As soon as the Emperor’s procession entered the city, she would immediately see it.

This position had been reserved by a Miss surnamed Ning.

The Ning clan couldn’t be considered a prominent aristocratic family in the capital—the children in the family held ordinary official positions—but they were a great merchant household, very wealthy.

However, no matter how wealthy the family, one rarely heard of young ladies spending money lavishly.

“A’Zhi, you’re usually so quiet and reserved—turns out you’re quite the spender,” Qi Leyun said. “Rumor has it that in your Ning clan, even a newborn child is immediately allotted a shop, so they’re earning gold by the peck while still nursing in swaddling clothes. Looks like it’s true.”

She turned back to look inside the room, which was filled with young women, chattering and laughing merrily.

“There are just too many people!” Qi Leyun unhappily tapped the windowsill. “Why did you all come running here? You should each reserve your own rooms.”

A girl who was shelling pine nuts glared at Qi Leyun: “You’re really talking big. Everyone here has to contribute money. A’Zhi made the arrangements with her family, but we can’t really let A’Qi use her own money alone.”

No matter how wealthy this young lady was, without her family elders’ approval, it would be impossible to spend so much money at once just to watch the excitement.

Not just watching excitement and amusement required family elders’ approval—Miss Ning sat among the girls thinking that a Ning family legitimate daughter did have money, but it was dowry money, used to discuss marriage matches and earn the husband’s family’s respect, to marry into families with better backgrounds than the Ning family. This money was said to be her own, but at home it was controlled by her father, and after marriage would be controlled by her husband—

This was the first time she had made her own decision.

She didn’t know why herself. That day when she heard the postal soldiers on the main street shouting loudly about the Empress’s great victory, she was immensely excited. Then hearing that the Emperor would return to court in triumph and everyone would go to welcome him, she suddenly wanted to spend lavishly.

“The Empress achieved great victory, Prince Zhongshan’s heir confessed his crimes, His Majesty returns to the capital—I want to go see with my own eyes, to celebrate for Her Majesty the Empress,” she had run to tell her father. “I want to reserve the highest and largest room.”

Her loving mother, hearing these words, was so shocked she thought her daughter’s mind had broken. But her father, who usually had a bad temper, had smiled.

“To celebrate for Her Majesty the Empress? You can spend your money however you want,” he had said with a grand wave of his hand. “Go ahead.”

Until today, sitting in this private room, while the other girls were excited, she herself was also immensely excited.

However, she didn’t show it on her face. Miss Ning smiled faintly, thanking her sisters for their thoughtfulness.

“No need for courtesy,” she said. “This is my intention, and also my father’s intention, our Ning clan’s intention—to celebrate His Majesty and Her Majesty pacifying the war and bringing peace to the nation and people.”

The girls all praised Miss Ning. Qi Leyun among them spread her hands: “Anyway, I have neither money nor influence. I can’t celebrate for her.”

“But our Miss Qi participated in the Empress’s Chu Garden literary gathering and can even stay at Chu Garden,” another girl said with a smile, reaching out to link arms with Qi Leyun teasingly.

That’s right—how many people could stay at Chu Garden? Qi Leyun straightened her back: “More than that—I’ve quarreled and fought with the Empress.”

The laughter in the room grew louder, mixed with the girls’ voices: “—What are you so proud of? Which of us here hasn’t had an unpleasant incident with the Empress?”

That was true. Initially, everyone had treated Chu Zhao as entertainment. At that time, no one had imagined today.

That girl who hit people, cursed at people, was fierce—actually she had always been fierce. Competing with scholars, protecting the little prince and cutting through rebel troops, and now even leading troops to fight Xi Liang and battle Prince Zhongshan—

Although still the same age, that girl had step by step become someone they looked up to, someone their hearts yearned toward—

“His Majesty is entering the city!” a girl by the window shouted.

The girls sitting inside immediately rose and surged toward the window. Qi Leyun leaned halfway out.

The entire capital was boiling, or rather, the boiling spread from outside the city to within. The Emperor’s carriage, the welcoming officials, the escorting troops—it was as if they were surrounded by endless colorful clouds. With the people’s bowing and kowtowing, it was like waves rising in the sea.

However, the Emperor wasn’t riding a horse but sitting in a carriage. Thin gauze curtains hung down, obscuring his features—only the child’s form could be seen.

This disappointed the watching people, while those who had seen the Emperor leave the capital last time were even more excited. They had been fortunate enough to see the true dragon countenance with their own eyes—this was a blessing worth talking about for a lifetime.

Besides the Emperor not riding a horse, Third Master Xie also wasn’t accompanying him.

With the Emperor’s carriage was a red-robed official—Grand Tutor Deng Yi.

Grand Tutor Deng Yi was rarely seen by the people because, as a regent minister of great importance, the Grand Tutor practically lived in the imperial palace. On the rare occasions he went out, the streets were cleared by troops.

This Grand Tutor came from humble origins. Who knew how he had such fortune to be elevated by the late Emperor—ascending to heaven in a single step.

Because his origins were so lowly, even the marketplace couldn’t dig up his past—mysterious and inscrutable.

Now in the daylight, this Grand Tutor appeared to be around thirty. He couldn’t compare to elegant young gentlemen, but his features were refined—only his thin lips turned slightly downward, making him look rather bad-tempered. The Grand Tutor indeed had a bad temper—since taking office, the prisons had been filled with convicted officials.

The people looked a few more times but didn’t dare look too much. They preferred to discuss Third Master Xie.

“Why isn’t Third Master Xie here?”

“His Majesty cannot remain outside long. Third Master stayed behind to handle the aftermath.”

“What a shame—you didn’t see Third Master’s bearing that night.”

“I saw it! Third Master was dressed in plain clothes, holding a long blade—just like Erlang Shen descended to the mortal realm.”

Although His Majesty couldn’t be seen clearly, the Grand Tutor they didn’t dare look at, and Third Master Xie wasn’t visible, the people still had other excitement to watch.

Prince Zhongshan’s heir’s carriage was right behind the Emperor’s, surrounded by imperial guards, curtains hanging low.

“I heard Prince Zhongshan’s heir stripped bare and bore thorns to plead guilty at the front lines.”

“I really never imagined the Prince’s heir would do such a thing!”

“Bah! Human face with a beast’s heart, handsome exterior—how many people did he kill!”

“Just look at all the refugees in the capital recently—he caused all of that.”

“I heard the people at the front lines threw stones at him!”

“Why let him ride in a carriage? Make him get out so we can throw things at him too!”

“Get out!”

“Xiao Xun, get out here!”

But no matter how much clamor there was, the heavy hanging curtains didn’t move a thread. When some people tried to throw things, the surrounding guards all drew their blades—probably fearing they might accidentally injure His Majesty.

After all, His Majesty’s dragon carriage was in front.

Everyone put away their thoughts of throwing things and instead shouted curses at Xiao Xun even louder.

Even from the excellent position in the high private room, one couldn’t see Xiao Xun inside the carriage.

A girl said: “I remember the first time I saw Prince Zhongshan’s heir was at Chu Garden. He also came to watch Chu Zhao’s literary gathering and even rescued a maidservant.”

These words stirred the girls’ memories. Whether it was the heir walking out of the water or the heir having changed clothes, he had been an elegant young gentleman whose appearance and bearing were not inferior to Third Master Xie—

“I really never imagined he was such a person,” a girl said indignantly.

Another girl said: “I felt at the time that his exterior didn’t match his interior. Have you forgotten? He was mixing with the Third Prince then. Coming to the Chu Garden literary gathering—who knows what intentions he had?”

Qi Leyun clapped her hands: “Whatever intentions he had, in the Empress’s hands he can’t make waves.” She leaned out to look: “Has the Empress arrived?”

Compared to the people’s excited anticipation of the Emperor, they were waiting for Chu Zhao. Qi Leyun had even firmly predicted that Chu Zhao would appear riding a horse and holding a blade, but her guess fell through. Everyone then thought she would be sitting with the Emperor, but looking at the Emperor’s carriage, there was only one silhouette inside—

Was she escorting behind Xiao Xun’s carriage?

From their elevated position with an expansive view, they saw at a glance that there were indeed people on horseback behind Xiao Xun’s carriage. They were mixed among the guards—at first glance unremarkable, but looking again, different from the guards. These were ordinary people, not wearing armor, not carrying weapons, and there were women—

A woman wore an apricot-colored dress, like a spring flower blooming on a branch amid the sea of dark guards.

“It’s—” Qi Leyun’s eyes widened. “Chu Tang!”

……

……

“Chu Tang!”

Amid the clamor, countless shrill female voices exploded in the air above. The people on the street were startled and looked up.

Chu Tang also raised her head, looking at the cluster of girls blooming like flowers at the windows of the buildings beside the street. She could clearly see the shock on their faces.

Chu Tang pursed her lips in a smile and raised her hand to wave at the girls—

“Chu Tang!” Qi Leyun was already shouting loudly. “Were you captured and escorted back!”

What nonsense! Chu Tang’s raised hand froze.