No matter what, the warship stubbornly brought Yun Ye back to Chang’an. While others felt timid approaching home, Yun Ye felt afraid approaching home. At the water and land wharf on Chang’an’s Ba River, crowds swarmed. Although everyone came to see the treasures and gold and no one paid attention to Yun Ye, he still felt cold all over, not comfortable anywhere.

Women should stay at home waiting for their husbands to return from expeditions, but these rules didn’t work on Na Rimu. Yun Ye needed to transfer the valuables on site and couldn’t leave. He could only wave from afar at his heavily pregnant wife. Na Rimu stood on the carriage shaft, and seeing Yun Ye had noticed her, she ducked into the carriage and ordered them to leave. She knew her husband had many matters to handle today with no time to see her—as long as she saw he was safe and sound, that was enough.

He very much wanted to go home immediately, but Zhangsun Wuji’s face was iron-blue. No one would be too pleased watching wealth that originally belonged to their family being loaded into the national treasury. He patted a chest and asked Yun Ye.

“These are Lingnan’s earnings?”

He would never dream his family had raked in no less than fifty thousand strings of cash from Lingnan.

“This is half of it. The other half I sold in Mingzhou—all things not worth much. The valuable items are all here.” Yun Ye also patted the chest.

“His Majesty gave me a bank note for over nine hundred thousand strings of cash a few days ago. Was that from your sale of treasures in Mingzhou?”

“Correct. There are two such bank notes in total—one for withdrawing money, one for verification. The verification one is in Wu She’s bosom. He won’t show it to anyone.”

Zhangsun Wuji grabbed Yun Ye and pulled him into the cabin, lowering his voice to ask: “You didn’t really follow what I said in my letter and turn all my family’s earnings over to the national treasury, did you?”

“Uncle Zhangsun, when did you ever give me any letter? This nephew doesn’t remember at all. His Majesty’s edict stated to submit sixty percent—this is a hard rule. With Wu She supervising at my side, who dares act rashly? This nephew naturally collected a solid sixty percent from the Zhangsun family’s earnings. Only Duke Ju wholeheartedly devoted himself to the nation, deciding to submit everything without keeping a single wen. This nephew naturally complied. For this, Hong Cheng even drew his blade and hacked to death several household guards who refused to submit. If you don’t believe me, Duke Zhang’s letter is still tucked in this nephew’s bosom. Every word, every sentence demanded this nephew not be polite toward his family’s property, so this nephew wasn’t polite and didn’t leave Duke Zhang a single wen. This spirit of viewing money as dirt—this nephew deeply admires it.”

Zhangsun Wuji sighed and said: “Zhang Liang and I are both old generals from the Heavenly Policy Mansion. Back then he endured cruel torture without revealing His Majesty’s secrets, refusing to implicate others. We all deeply admire his unyielding backbone. Who would have thought that after gaining wealth and honor, he would forget past hardships. You disregarded all our letters and only kept Zhang Liang’s letter—you’re trying to put him to death! Yun Ye, he was wrong to covet your family’s property. His Majesty already punished him. He also compensated your family with his manor in Chang’an. Let this matter rest, how about it?”

Yun Ye smiled without speaking. Since when did Zhangsun Wuji begin cherishing old sentiments? When dealing with the Fang Xuanling family, Du Ruhui family, Li Ji family, or causing Li Ke to die unjustly—was there ever the slightest mercy? Although these events hadn’t happened yet, the history books clearly stated them. Yun Ye didn’t believe he would have such good intentions. If he didn’t find a scapegoat, then he himself would have to take the blame, while you, Zhangsun Wuji, stood on the shore watching the joke? Establishing an enemy wasn’t easy—must use it where it counted. Now was the time. Not something you could clear up with a few words.

Seeing Yun Ye wouldn’t speak, Zhangsun Wuji understood Yun Ye was determined to ruin Zhang Liang completely, and because of his few words, Yun Ye even formed an opinion about him.

He shook his head, went up on deck to count the valuables, and said not another word about Zhang Liang’s matter. That Yun Ye glossed over his own letter was already for Zhangsun Chong’s sake. He had no reason to worry about others.

Until the money and valuables reached their destination, Yun Ye had to follow the whole way and couldn’t let them leave his sight. If he got tricked at this time, even eighty mouths couldn’t explain it clearly.

Since arriving in Chang’an, Wu She’s dead-face expression had reappeared. Hong Cheng also gripped his sword hilt, not leaving the treasures for a moment. Every piece, every item was carved into his brain. These things were testimony to his year-plus of hard suffering in Lingnan, also the basis for restoring his title—could not be lost.

The navy began establishing their camp under Liu Renyuan’s leadership. Zhangsun Wuji allocated a section of the Ba River’s tributary specifically for navy use. The boat full of kelp was also completely hauled back to the Yun Family by the family’s stewards, awaiting Yun Ye’s disposal when he had leisure.

Fierce soldiers carried countless rare treasures through Vermillion Bird Avenue. Those at the rear were still at the city gate while those at the front had already entered the Imperial City.

Wu She stood expressionlessly below the Supreme Ultimate Palace steps, holding thick inventory lists in his hands. For every treasure, he loudly announced it. In Dengzhou, Yun Ye had already created extremely exquisite packaging for these treasures. Under the fierce sunlight, the various treasures gleamed brilliantly, leaving the officials and envoys who came to observe stunned speechless.

“Sixteen Northern Sea pearls, two multicolored stone mountains, one green weasel stone, one jade gemstone, one premium blood coral tree…”

Li’er sat under the yellow canopy umbrella, mockingly watching the splendid expressions on the nobles’ faces, patiently watching soldiers carry treasures past him, not planning to miss a single item.

Some nobles ground their teeth audibly, clenched their fists as if ready to devour someone, hearts raising monstrous waves. These things should have had their family’s share. Now they could only watch them flow into the national treasury. To see them again in this lifetime was already a distant impossibility.

Zhang Liang’s face was frighteningly pale. Under Guanzhong’s blazing sun, his whole body felt cold. Every time Wu She announced a treasure’s name, another star burst before his eyes. The sounds in his ears were terrifyingly loud and echoing. He only felt himself getting further and further from reality.

When the sun shifted west, they finally saw the end of the procession. Yun Ye held a wooden box in his hands, walking at the very end. Hong Cheng in front of him carried a huge gold ingot in both hands. Seeing Li’er, without saying a word, he placed the gold ingot at Li’er’s feet, knelt below, and sobbed quietly.

Not having seen him for two years, Li’er looked at Hong Cheng, who was tanned black as coal, and felt much emotion himself. He stood up, walked around the gold ingot, patted his shoulder and back, and said: “You’ve suffered these two years.”

Hearing Li’er had forgiven him, Hong Cheng, who had countless words to say, suddenly felt extremely wronged. He couldn’t help but cry aloud, his head continuously knocking on the ground—bang bang—making Yun Ye standing behind him suck in cold air.

“Get up! I don’t want weaklings among my subordinates. So you lost your title—I’m giving it back to you. Your hard work in Lingnan these two years—I’ve seen it. Your heart of atonement—I also know it. As long as one wholeheartedly serves me loyally, when have I let them suffer loss? Stand up. Don’t lose the dignity of a great minister.”

Hong Cheng stood up sobbing. Seeing the gold ingot on the ground, he picked it up again and presented it to Li’er, saying: “Your Majesty, this is an auspicious treasure presented to Your Majesty by Li Rong, heir of the Liao lands. It is a large piece of natural gold, totaling twenty-three jin, seven liang, and six qian. Heaven and earth created it, and it has another name—Ox Head Gold. It is said that possessing this object brings Heaven’s favor. The heir felt his blessings were too meager, unworthy of possessing such a rare treasure, so he specially entrusted this humble subject to present it to Your Majesty, wishing our Great Tang ten thousand generations.”

“I heard this gold ingot is haunted by over two hundred wronged souls. A mountain god beating drums caused mediocre commoners to die at beasts’ mouths. Feng Ang still harbors deep resentment. That’s fine—treasures belong to the virtuous. Only I can enjoy this thing. Take it to the rear palace and see the Empress. She’s also been very worried about your safety.”

Hong Cheng’s nose stung, tears flowing down again. He bid farewell to Li’er and walked toward the rear palace with his head lowered.

Li’er didn’t know why, but seeing Yun Ye made him angry. Just now Hong Cheng cried buckets—even hearts of iron and stone would feel pity seeing it. He and his subject, one showing emotion, one showing intention—those ministers nodding in approval and praising endlessly. Only this bastard heartlessly secretly picked his nose there, his appearance extremely deplorable. Forcibly suppressing the urge to beat him, he sat back in his seat waiting for Yun Ye’s audience.

Yun Ye, also tanned very dark, opened his mouth showing a mouthful of white teeth. Smiling happily, he stepped forward first wishing Li’er infinite longevity. Before he could say anything else, Li’er spoke first: “You were kidnapped by Dou Yanshan. Why did Dou Yanshan die while you lived just fine? Your memorial said Dou Yanshan fought a flood dragon for three hundred rounds. What actually happened? Explain this matter clearly first. I’ve been confused for over half a year, just waiting for you to return and explain to me.”

Yun Ye was extremely hurt. Aggrieved, he said to the Emperor: “Why doesn’t Your Majesty ask how this subject escaped, but instead fixates on these small questions?”

“Get lost! Stop putting on that disgusting act. From the day you had your incident, I was full of confidence in you. As long as Dou Yanshan didn’t kill you in the first moment, then the one to die would definitely be Dou Yanshan. In terms of cunning schemes, you are first-rate in this world. The Bai Qi Si said you escaped into the great river—I knew then you would return sooner or later. I just didn’t expect you to actually cross the jungle to Lingnan. Good skill! Quickly tell me about Dou Yanshan’s matter. I very much want to know why Dou Yanshan would go crazy enough to fight a flood dragon. If my guess is correct, there must have been a spectator eating and watching the show nearby. This spectator was none other than you, right?”

Li’er kept slapping his chair’s armrest urging him, completely without imperial dignity.

“Your Majesty, what this subject holds is a rare treasure, the light—”

“Light what? You coming back is more important than any treasure. Quickly tell me about Dou Yanshan. I very much want to know about the flood dragon.”

Seeing Li’er absolutely insisted on hearing about Dou Yanshan angrily slaying the flood dragon at this time, he knew that some in court harbored doubts about Dou Yanshan’s death. Li’er was giving him a chance to explain clearly, lest people gossip behind his back. Damn it, trying to trip me up! Today if I don’t make several people faint from the sun, I don’t deserve the surname Yun.