Lu Zhuo walked toward Pine Moon Hall.

He had lived in Ganzhou with Wei Rao for three years and spent three years at the border. Walking this path again after six years, Lu Zhuo felt no sense of unfamiliarity.

A’Gui, Zhao Song, and Zhao Bai all followed behind him. Though they had previously believed their master was dead, they continued staying at Pine Moon Hall. Learning today of their master’s return, the three naturally rushed over early, each red-eyed, silently watching their master’s back ahead.

Lu Zhuo’s heart felt empty.

He naturally missed his family and daughter, but not seeing the person he most wanted to see created a feeling of expectation and disappointment, like that time in Jin City when he had been busy recruiting soldiers for a month and, upon finishing, wanted to quickly return to Jin City to see her. Back then, Lu Zhuo hadn’t even sorted out his feelings, yet he would feel disappointed when he couldn’t find her. Now…

“Has the princess moved back to the princess’s mansion?” Lu Zhuo suddenly asked. He remembered his daughter’s words about his mother going to visit Old Madam and sending her over—sending her over, not leaving her at home.

When Lu Zhuo and his father reached the border, they stayed one day at the commander’s residence and learned from him about what happened after the Iron Scorpion Ridge battle. So Lu Zhuo knew that Wei Rao had once rushed to the battlefield for him, had led people to Iron Scorpion Ridge to search for his body, knew Wei Rao had rescued his second brother and exposed the Han father and son, and knew Wei Rao had been granted the title of princess.

As for the details, the commander had no way of knowing and hadn’t said much, but Lu Zhuo could imagine how painful it must have been for Wei Rao when she first heard the terrible news.

A’Gui and the Zhao brothers exchanged glances, not knowing how to answer, and hummed in confusion with troubled hearts.

The princess had indeed moved back to the princess’s mansion, but it wasn’t a temporary stay—she had regained her freedom.

Lu Zhuo interpreted the complexity in their expressions as fear that he would be unhappy upon discovering Wei Rao had moved out.

How could Lu Zhuo be displeased by such a thing?

He understood Wei Rao—she was naturally free-spirited. Even when he was still in the capital, Wei Rao would move to her mansion during summer to enjoy the season and escape the heat. During these three years he was away, if Wei Rao remained alone at Pine Moon Hall, it would only bring painful memories. Moving to the princess’s mansion would make her feel better.

Lu Zhuo understood.

After bathing, Lu Zhuo was to enter the palace. He instructed Zhao Song: “Go to the leisure manor and inform the princess.”

He didn’t know how long entering the palace would delay him. Lu Zhuo couldn’t wait—he wanted to see Wei Rao as soon as he returned.

Lu Zhuo hurried to meet his father, while Zhao Song galloped out of the city gates without stopping. He was his master’s attendant and knew the feelings between his master and the princess. These three years, everyone thought his master was dead. The princess had been lonely too long, which was why she developed thoughts of remarriage. Now that his master had returned, the princess would surely be happy and would surely return to his master’s side.

Lu Zhuo and Lu Mu entered the palace with Duke Ying.

Zhao Song encountered the princess and Li Wei riding side by side in the suburbs.

Seeing Zhao Song’s urgent expression, Wei Rao’s first thought was of her daughter. She frowned and asked: “Has something happened to the princess?”

Zhao Song shook his head, dismounted, and knelt on one knee before her with a joyful expression: “Report to Princess, the heir and the master have returned! At Iron Scorpion Ridge, the heir fell off a cliff and was severely injured. He exchanged clothes with a Wuda soldier to fake his death and escape. Due to his leg injury, he hid for three years. When his leg healed, he rushed back and happened to encounter the master, who had been imprisoned by the North Sea for over twenty years and finally found a chance to escape…”

This was the story Lu Zhuo and his father had agreed upon. It was mostly true, only changed to say father and son were trapped in different places, to prevent news from reaching the Wuda and making them suspicious of Long Bu’s family.

Zhao Song knew the princess would ask questions, so he explained everything in one breath.

But Wei Rao only heard one thing—Lu Zhuo had returned, and he was still alive.

The wind had somehow grown stronger, blowing against Wei Rao’s face. Everything from the past flashed through her mind like passing clouds. Just as Wei Rao gripped the reins tightly, preparing to race back to the city to see him, in her peripheral vision, another white horse shifted its front hooves.

Wei Rao turned her head and saw Li Wei’s complex expression.

Like someone suddenly waking her from a dream, bringing her back to reality.

Looking at Li Wei’s handsome, complicated face, Wei Rao suddenly laughed, laughing at fate’s cruel tricks.

She had thought of Lu Zhuo for three years, thought of him until today, when she wanted to try whether other men could move her heart. All along this journey, Lu Zhuo would still jump out to disturb her thoughts. But Lu Zhuo hadn’t returned early or late—he had to return after she had met with a group of young masters from great families, on this very day when she rode out of the city conspicuously with Li Wei.

Wei Rao didn’t regret the meetings of recent months, didn’t regret leaving the city with Li Wei today. Because Lu Zhuo had been dead for three years, and in her boredom, meeting those young men had provided considerable entertainment for her and her daughter. Seeing Li Wei yesterday had also brightened her eyes.

Now, everyone in the capital thought she had long emerged from grief over her deceased husband, thought she had forgotten Lu Zhuo, and was happily preparing to remarry. Lu Zhuo had just returned and didn’t know yet, but by tonight at the latest, Lu Zhuo would learn everything. When that time came, would Lu Zhuo still want to see this “fickle” former wife?

Probably not.

Who was to blame?

Blame Lu Zhuo for faking his death for three years? But he didn’t want that either.

Blame Wei Rao for not remaining faithful to him?

But Lu Zhuo had abandoned their mother and daughter first! He had his brotherhood and national righteousness to uphold, but Wei Rao hadn’t wronged him either! During his three years of feigned death, he might have thought of her day and night, but what Wei Rao endured wasn’t just tidal waves of longing—she endured the ultimate pain of separation between the living and the dead. She watched other couples love each other, watched her daughter envy brothers and cousins who had both parents, while only their mother and daughter were alone—one without a man, one without a father!

Wei Rao had no regrets at all.

If Lu Zhuo wanted to blame her, then let him blame her.

“Understood. Then let the princess stay at Duke Ying Mansion for a few more days. When she wants to return, you can escort her back to the princess’s mansion.” Wei Rao said with a light smile. After speaking, she went around Zhao Song and continued slowly toward the capital as if nothing had happened.

Zhao Song was stunned.

Li Wei also looked at Wei Rao’s back in surprise.

Having just heard that Lu Zhuo was alive and had returned, Li Wei had thought he was completely out of the running. But Wei Rao’s attitude seemed as if she was completely indifferent to Lu Zhuo.

Li Wei caught up: “Princess, with Lu Zhuo’s return to the capital, will you and he resume your former relationship?”

At this point, Li Wei said whatever he was thinking.

Wei Rao smiled and asked him, “If you were him, what would you think right now?”

Li Wei was stunned, then understood.

Indeed, he knew the princess currently had no interest in him, but those who had seen him traveling with the princess didn’t know that. When gossip reached Lu Zhuo’s ears, would Lu Zhuo have that kind of magnanimity? Especially with the contrast of Lu Zhuo’s mother—one whose husband had been “dead” for over twenty years yet remained loyal, while another moved to the princess mansion less than a year after her husband “died,” and formally returned to her family when three years were up, then began constantly meeting with men…

If Li Wei were Lu Zhuo, he would never forgive such a wife.

But Li Wei wasn’t Lu Zhuo. If Wei Rao was cold toward Lu Zhuo and Lu Zhuo resented Wei Rao, it gave him an opportunity.

“Does our agreement to view lanterns during the Lantern Festival still stand?” Li Wei asked.

Wei Rao glanced at the sky and smiled lightly: “The princess and I will go see the lanterns that evening. Whether Third Young Master comes or not is entirely up to you.”

Wei Rao went straight back to the princess’s mansion.

In the palace, Lu Zhuo and Lu Mu met Emperor Yuanjia and explained the true circumstances of their escape. Father and son had gained freedom in September, but their journey to the border passed through General Xiuji’s sphere of influence. At that time, Lu Zhuo didn’t yet know the Han family had fallen, but he firmly believed his second brother’s ambush was connected to the Han family. If they could capture Xiuji, they might be able to expose the Han father and son.

So father and son secretly lurked near Xiuji, captured him alive during a hunt, and brought him back to the capital together.

“Your Majesty, because Long Bu risked everything to rescue us, your subjects and father were able to reunite and return to the capital. Your subjects have created another story for public consumption to avoid implicating their family. Please grant this, Your Majesty.”

Lu Zhuo and his father kowtowed.

Emperor Yuanjia understood. The return of Lu Zhuo and Lu Mu was a blessing for Great Qi. As long as they returned, that was what mattered—the story wasn’t important.

Toward Lu Zhuo, Emperor Yuanjia felt only appreciation for a junior. He and Lu Mu were of the same generation—when Lu Mu led troops out, it was the young Emperor Yuanjia who saw them off at the city gates.

Seeing Lu Mu again, Emperor Yuanjia was deeply moved. Monarch and subject embraced, both with tears in their eyes.

“Your subject is incompetent and has failed Your Majesty’s high expectations.” Lu Mu was full of shame. It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought of death, but he was unwilling—he wanted to live, wanted to return to his homeland.

Emperor Yuanjia gripped his shoulders tightly, red-eyed: “The North Sea is bitter and cold. Even with the Wuda tormenting you so, they couldn’t change your loyal heart. How can you speak of failing me? Your return is like the regeneration of a severed limb—the entire nation should celebrate!”

As monarch and subject reminisced, civil and military officials who came upon hearing the news also praised Lu Mu’s unwavering perseverance.

It was already late today, so Emperor Yuanjia decided to hold a palace banquet tomorrow to celebrate Lu Zhuo and his father’s return.

Only then did the three generations of Lu men leave the palace.

Emperor Yuanjia went to see Xiao Zhou Shi. He had expected Xiao Zhou Shi to be happy about her son-in-law’s return, but saw she had been crying.

“Are you afraid Shoucheng will blame Raorao?” After a brief thought, Emperor Yuanjia guessed the reason.

Xiao Zhou Shi tacitly agreed, looking sorrowfully out the window.

She was happy for her daughter and also felt sorry for her. Everyone knew Lu Zhuo’s difficulties, but who could understand her daughter’s suffering? When men lose their wives and remarry after a year or two, no one blames them for being heartless. But women? If you don’t remain a widow for life, you’re restless and fickle.

Lu Zhuo returned to Duke Ying Mansion.

All the Lu family gathered together, only Wei Rao was absent.

His searching gaze for Wei Rao made Duchess Ying’s heart clench.

Duchess Ying called Lu Zhuo to the study.

Lu Zhuo lowered his eyes—he could guess.

Which girl raised by Shou’an Jun would remain a widow for anyone at such a young age?

When he was on the grasslands, when his legs couldn’t move, Lu Zhuo had thought about this point. But he thought Wei Rao’s feelings for him were different. He thought that after experiencing so much together, even if he died, Wei Rao would be like his mother, keeping only him in her heart for life.

Especially when Lu Zhuo heard from the border commander about everything Wei Rao had done for him, he was even more convinced that Wei Rao must be waiting for him.

“Shoucheng, don’t blame Raorao. It was your mother and I who didn’t want to delay her—we were the ones who first suggested she remarry.” Duchess Ying looked at her eldest grandson’s increasingly cold face, her eyes reddening. “Raorao did so much for you—how could she not have you in her heart? Shoucheng, listen to your grandmother. Go find Raorao—she’ll come back.”

Lu Zhuo only wanted to laugh.

Perhaps grandmother and mother had spoken first, but if Wei Rao wanted to remain faithful to him, she wouldn’t have agreed. Even if grandmother and mother urged her to remarry, it was because they first saw that Wei Rao didn’t want to remain faithful.

“Grandmother, it’s time for dinner. Let’s go.” Lu Zhuo raised his head, returning to his usual gentle demeanor.

But Duchess Ying felt like crying.

Lu Zhuo didn’t give his grandmother another chance to persuade him.

He went to attend the banquet, with A’Bao sitting beside him. Having just gotten her father back, A’Bao was very happy tonight.

“Father, tomorrow I’ll take you to see Mother.” Before going to sleep, A’Bao rubbed her eyes and said sweetly.

Lu Zhuo smiled and touched his daughter’s soft hair: “Sleep now. We’ll talk about tomorrow’s matters tomorrow.”

A’Bao had played too hard during the day and fell asleep soon.

Lu Zhuo returned to the front courtyard and first asked Zhao Song about the circumstances when he went to find Wei Rao during the day.

Zhao Song didn’t want to say, but such matters couldn’t be hidden—the heir would know with slight inquiry.

Zhao Song knelt and confessed everything truthfully.

Lu Zhuo dismissed him and called A’Gui in.

Lu Zhuo asked A’Gui about all the news of the princess during these three years.

A’Gui also didn’t want to speak. The princess liked to have fun, liked to be merry with the young princess, but the heir might not be happy to hear this.

But A’Gui still spoke—these things couldn’t be hidden anyway, including how the princess had been meeting with rising stars in the capital these past months.

“You may withdraw.”

A’Gui didn’t dare raise his head and backed out with a bow.

No lamp was lit in the room. In mid-twelfth month, a full moon hung in the sky, cold moonlight falling on the man’s even colder face.

Lu Zhuo sat by the window all night.

Princess Mansion.

Wei Rao wrapped herself in a cloak and lay on the slightly slanted roof. The wind was very cold, but this cold could calm her restless heart. Her eyes gazed at the moon in the sky, watching it all night long.