On the last day at the Xing Palace, time flowed like water cascading down a cliff, passing especially quickly.

The red sun set in the west. Wei Rao quietly looked at her mother and little brother, her heart full of reluctance.

Lu Zhuo took his leave and went to the outer courtyard.

Xiao Zhou Shi had Aunt Ying take the Fourth Prince away.

She hadn’t told her son that his sister and brother-in-law would leave early tomorrow morning. New faces appeared so rarely at the Xing Palace. Her daughter and son-in-law were both relatives and novel playmates to her son. When he couldn’t find his sister and brother-in-law tomorrow morning, her son would surely cry bitterly. But at least her daughter wouldn’t have to see it. In this parting, her daughter was the most reluctant.

The night was quiet. Wei Rao leaned into her mother’s embrace. Even though she was now almost as tall as her mother, even though she was a married woman, she still liked to nestle against her mother like this, still liked being loved by her mother like a little child. Her mother’s hand gently stroking her long hair was the most calming jade comb in the world.

“Mother, does it grieve you that His Majesty left you here?”

Mother, do you regret following His Majesty into the palace all these years?

Wei Rao asked silently in her heart.

Xiao Zhou Shi pressed her forehead against her daughter’s head, answering gently: “No grievance. In one lifetime, smooth sailing is a lifetime, and stormy waves are also a lifetime. No matter how one’s youth was, in old age, everyone has wrinkled faces and gray hair. Everything that once was will only become memories, so whether it’s a bit sweeter or more bitter now, as long as you endure it, none of it matters.”

“Mother’s fate is both good and bad. First, she lost her father, then her husband died. Now Mother isn’t afraid of any hardship, only afraid that my impulsiveness back then implicated you. Raorao, Mother knows you’ve suffered many grievances these years. Nothing Mother does can make up for the suffering you endured then, but Raorao, don’t be afraid. When Mother returns to the capital, Mother will be doubly good to you.”

She wouldn’t be a second mother.

Her mother didn’t want to fight for anything, so her mother became Shou’an Jun. Though she was blameless toward anyone, she was splashed with dirty water by the Empress Dowager.

Since not fighting also meant being scolded and despised, why shouldn’t she fight?

If Emperor Yuanjia hadn’t come to provoke her, that would be one thing. But Emperor Yuanjia came, Emperor Yuanjia cut off her retreat, so Xiao Zhou Shi had to establish a firm foothold in the imperial harem. The Empress Dowager was Emperor Yuanjia’s mother – even if Emperor Yuanjia didn’t want to show filial piety, he had to. Xiao Zhou Shi had to endure. But once the Empress Dowager passed away, she wouldn’t yield to anyone anymore.

Before dawn broke, the sparsely populated Xing Palace was filled with birdsong everywhere.

The Fourth Prince was still sleeping soundly. Wei Rao, dressed in men’s clothing, walked out of Liubo Palace with Xiao Zhou Shi holding her hand.

A carriage waited before the palace gates. Mother and daughter boarded the carriage, and palace servants drove toward the south gate of the Xing Palace.

“Mother, what about little brother?” Wei Rao looked back, tears already in her eyes. The Fourth Prince’s bright, joyful phoenix eyes seemed imprinted in her mind. She hadn’t had her mother by her side these years, but she still had her grandmother, maternal grandmother, and good sister friends. When she wanted to tour the capital, she could tour the capital; when she wanted to go to Yunwu Mountain, she could go to Yunwu Mountain. But what about the Fourth Prince? He couldn’t see his father, trapped in this huge cage with his mother – wasn’t he pitiful too?

Xiao Zhou Shi said, “Don’t worry. He likes that set of shepherd boy wood carvings you gave him. I’ll have craftsmen make him several new sets. He’s still small and doesn’t understand – he’s easy to coax. It’s you I worry about. Be gentler with the heir; don’t lose your temper over every little thing. Fortunately, the heir has a gentleman’s bearing and knows how to accommodate you. If he were some crude, rough military general, you’d have suffering ahead.”

Wei Rao knew in her heart that her mother had been completely deceived by Lu Zhuo’s handsome appearance and fine bearing, so she didn’t try to refute anything further.

From Liubo Palace to the south gate of the Xing Palace was a very long stretch of road, but because this road symbolized parting, Wei Rao only wished it would never have an end.

Unfortunately, the figures of Lu Zhuo and two horses still appeared before her eyes.

The carriage stopped. Before Wei Rao got down, Xiao Zhou Shi personally put the veil on her daughter.

Wei Rao’s tears poured out like spring water, silently rolling down.

Xiao Zhou Shi smiled and patted her daughter’s shoulder, indicating it was time to get off.

Wei Rao turned back, looking at her mother through tear-blurred eyes. Lu Zhuo had already come to the carriage to help her down.

After Wei Rao stood steady, Xiao Zhou Shi leaned toward the window, looking at Lu Zhuo with reddened eyes: “Heir, I only have Raorao as a daughter. I’m not a good mother. I only hope the heir will be a good husband – protect her when she faces danger, watch over her when she’s ill, and accompany her when her temples turn gray.”

Wei Rao didn’t want to cry, didn’t want to sob uncontrollably in front of so many people. She knelt and kowtowed to her mother, then flew onto her horse and charged out of the Xing Palace without looking back.

Xiao Zhou Shi gazed at her daughter’s retreating figure. Tears finally fell, dropping onto the stone slabs, falling before Lu Zhuo, who knelt on the ground.

Lu Zhuo looked at those tear stains and solemnly promised: “This son-in-law will not fail the mother-in-law’s trust.”

Xiao Zhou Shi was slightly stunned. These past few days, Lu Zhuo had called her “Your Ladyship.” This was the first time Lu Zhuo called her mother-in-law.

She smiled, her gaze returning to her daughter, growing more distant, saying gently: “Go quickly. Raorao will run far.”

Lu Zhuo took his leave, mounted Fei Mo, and chased after her at an even faster speed.

Xiao Zhou Shi leaned out her head, watching until she could no longer see her daughter and son-in-law’s figures, then instructed the palace servants to return.

Wei Rao cried enough. The veil on her face was completely soaked by her tears. As the horse ran forward and the wind blew back, the veil stuck wetly to her face.

Wei Rao slowed down, then stopped her horse, jumped to the riverside, and thoroughly washed her face, also completely washing that veil.

The river water was clear and cool. After washing like this, Wei Rao felt much more comfortable in her heart. Being able to come to the Xing Palace, see her mother and little brother, know that they both held her in their hearts, know that they weren’t living as miserably as common people speculated – a certain place in Wei Rao’s heart settled down. From now until her mother returned to the palace, she wouldn’t need to worry about her mother’s side anymore.

Wei Rao spread the veil on a stone that could catch sunlight. The stone was already somewhat warm, and the veil was thin – it would dry quickly.

The red horse was drinking water. Wei Rao lay face-up on the grass covered with fresh flowers, taking a long, relieved breath.

Lu Zhuo had been following her at a distance. Seeing her so at ease, her snow-white face framed by green grass and wildflowers, Lu Zhuo patted Fei Mo, let Fei Mo go down to drink water, and found a tree by the official road to lean against and rest.

Wei Rao rested well, walked over to touch the veil on the stone – it was already seventy to eighty percent dry.

Wei Rao put on the veil and led the date-red horse toward the official road.

Seeing this, Lu Zhuo whistled.

Fei Mo cheerfully ran past Wei Rao, lightly leaping onto the official road.

Lu Zhuo patted Fei Mo’s neck, his gaze falling on Wei Rao. The veil blocked her face, only revealing a pair of red-rimmed eyes. Those eye corners were like tender pink peach blossoms on spring branches, those eyes clearer than flowing streams. After crying, she was so charming and pitiable.

“It’s hot and easy to get heatstroke. No need to rush so much on the return journey.”

As Wei Rao mounted her horse, Lu Zhuo rode to her side, speaking gently.

Wei Rao nodded. If she didn’t care for herself, she should care for her horse. After galloping madly for half a day, the horse would be exhausted too.

The two continued along the mountain road, maintaining a horse’s distance one in front of the other, their speed half that of when they came.

This mountain road was very long, taking up almost half the entire journey. Sometimes the mountain road was level enough for three carriages to travel side by side, sometimes narrow enough for only one carriage. On one side of the mountain road were slopes and rivers, on the other side, the mountain forest terrain rose and fell – sometimes cliffs several zhang high, sometimes flat tree forests.

Wei Rao looked back. The Xing Palace was long gone, but whenever she looked back, Lu Zhuo immediately looked over.

Wei Rao thought about it and still said a word of thanks to Lu Zhuo.

Lu Zhuo came to her side, saying seriously, “No need for thanks. This trip was an apology gift from me. I only ask that the Young Lady can forgive my disrespectful crime that day.”

Wei Rao glanced at him, continuing forward while responding: “Fine, I forgive you. What happened that day will be as if it never occurred.”

Lu Zhuo smiled, spurred his horse to follow, riding parallel with her.

No matter how parallel, there was still a horse’s distance between them, so Wei Rao didn’t mind him.

After running out of that mountain road stretch and continuing forward, the village shadows appeared in the distance.

The sunlight gradually became intense, but fortunately, trees were planted on both sides of the official road. Wei Rao took the shaded side, and though Lu Zhuo could have run ahead or behind her, he still insisted on staying beside her.

Wei Rao tried not to look in his direction.

Suddenly, a woman’s desperate cry came from the distance. Wei Rao reined in her horse, looking toward the sound, and saw half a li away, two men in common clothes frantically running from the village direction toward a patch of woods on the opposite side. The man running in front carried a disheveled woman on his shoulder. The woman seemed bound with rope, and just as she was crying and screaming, the man behind picked something up from the ground and stuffed it in the woman’s mouth.

In broad daylight, forcibly abducting good women?

Wei Rao looked toward Lu Zhuo. Lu Zhuo nodded, and both simultaneously chased in that direction.

“You go first!” Wei Rao urged Lu Zhuo, knowing his horse was faster.

Lu Zhuo released his speed. Fei Mo was like a divine steed – just as those two scoundrels carried the woman into the woods, Lu Zhuo had caught up.

The woods weren’t convenient for riding. Lu Zhuo dismounted to give chase.

Wei Rao quickly reached the forest edge, too. Just as she pursued a short distance inside, two patches of grass suddenly lifted from the ground, and two black-clothed, masked figures leaped up, surrounding her front and back.

At this moment, fighting sounds also came from the forest ahead.

Wei Rao’s gaze turned cold. So it was a trap?

More assassins sent by the Empress Dowager?

Her sword was on horseback. Because she thought they were just two thugs and that Lu Zhuo could handle them, Wei Rao hadn’t taken her sword when dismounting.

Those two assassins saw that this weak woman didn’t cry or show fear, but instead looked at them warily. They were stunned, glanced at each other, then simultaneously pounced toward Wei Rao – one empty-handed, one pulling out a rope.

Wei Rao was equally shocked. They wanted to capture her alive?

Capturing alive or killing made no difference. Wei Rao turned and ran, then, while the two chased her, shot a hidden weapon at each. The hidden weapon bracelet her master gave her – except when bathing, Wei Rao never took it off.

One man was hit in the forehead by the hidden weapon and died instantly. The other reacted agilely, avoiding it. He seemed to finally realize Wei Rao wasn’t an ordinary woman and finally drew his weapon, charging at Wei Rao with a short blade raised.

Wei Rao wasn’t afraid of one man’s pursuit. Charging out of the woods, Wei Rao ran straight for the date-red horse. Just then, the assassin’s large blade swung over!

Wei Rao drew her precious sword and barely avoided it, but the date-red horse was struck by the assassin, neighing in pain and soon collapsing in a pool of blood.

With her beloved horse dead, Wei Rao drove back Fei Mo, who wanted to kick the assassin, and began fighting the assassin herself.

The assassin’s martial arts were considerable, and Wei Rao’s swordsmanship was no flowery fist or embroidered leg either. Worried about Lu Zhuo’s situation, Wei Rao didn’t linger in battle. Her sword tip swept across the assassin’s neck, and without even looking, Wei Rao charged into the woods with her sword. Hearing the commotion inside, the assassins were far more than just two. Thinking of how those two assassins had wanted to deal with her with just a rope, Wei Rao suddenly had a suspicion.

Perhaps this wave of assassins wasn’t sent by the Empress Dowager, and their target wasn’t her either.

Lu Zhuo’s expression was very grim.

Those two thugs and the bound woman had all been bait. As soon as he chased up, arrows shot from grass clumps in all directions. Lu Zhuo was quick-eyed and grabbed the two thugs as shields, hiding behind a tree, but his right arm still took an arrow.

At a glance, Lu Zhuo estimated at least twenty assassins, all now holding bows and arrows aimed in his direction.

What alarmed Lu Zhuo wasn’t the assassins, but the horse neighing from outside the woods.

It was Wei Rao’s horse – something had happened to her?

Thinking this, Lu Zhuo didn’t dare delay. Left hand holding up a human shield, right hand gripping his sword, he charged toward the nearest two assassins.

Wei Rao quietly approached the battlefield, seeing several black-clothed corpses on the ground. Lu Zhuo held a bow and arrow, hiding behind a tree, while over ten assassins with bows and arrows were closing in on him. Every time Lu Zhuo showed himself, he met a rain of arrows. Wei Rao couldn’t see Lu Zhuo’s injuries, only saw that his arrows never missed – every time he shot, a black-clothed assassin fell.

The black-clothed men were all focused on Lu Zhuo, as if not worried that she could escape from those two assassins.

Wei Rao crouched low and came to the nearest corpse, taking the opponent’s bow and arrows. Wei Rao’s lips curved upward. Finding a good position, she began her hunt.

Two whooshing sounds – two black-clothed assassins swayed and fell. The other assassins, seeing this, looked back in panic.

Wei Rao hid behind a tree. At the same time, Lu Zhuo shot three arrows from the opposite side. When the black-clothed men turned to shoot at him, Wei Rao shot arrows from her side.

Due to Wei Rao’s surprise attack, the black-clothed men briefly fell into chaos. Of sixteen black-clothed assassins, eight remained.

The eight were split into two teams – six stayed to deal with Lu Zhuo, and two came to deal with Wei Rao.

Wei Rao peered out for a glance, and two sharp arrows immediately flew over.

Wei Rao pulled back in time. After a while, she threw her cap to the right, then leaned left and shot one man.

One remained. Wei Rao became increasingly calm.