Lin Fei led the maidservants in preparing gifts for Ashina’s various family members. These had been specifically readied back in Yunjing and now required only a little sorting and organization.

Among them, the refined white sugar was wrapped in fine paper and was particularly eye-catching.

As for the matter of personally delivering the gifts, Xie Yuzhang had not originally wanted Lin Fei to take this on. Her own preference was for Lin Fei to simply stay put in the tent, see no one, and remain unseen — she would have liked nothing more than to wrap Lin Fei in three layers and then three more, not to release her until they had safely returned to Yunjing. She positively begrudged every moment Lin Fei might be visible to others.

Lin Fei, of course, would have nothing to do with that.

“By your own account, there is truly no place and no situation that is absolutely safe. Many things could have been avoided — or made to happen — if only those involved had known in advance. But because one cannot foresee them in the moment, one cannot prepare ahead of time or make the best possible response immediately.” She said. “By that reasoning, even if you bound me to the tent, who is to say that some other tribe might not attack, and burn our tents to the ground?”

Terrible, terrible — what an inauspicious thing to say. But it left Xie Yuzhang with nothing to argue back with.

Most persuasive of all was when Lin Fei said, “What we ought to be doing most of all is listening more, observing more, and thinking more, is it not? The more we know, the better equipped we will be to make the right choices.”

Xie Yuzhang was rendered speechless and could only say, “Wherever you go, you must bring guards with you. Most especially when it concerns Xia’erdan.”

Lin Fei smiled and said, “Of course.”

Xie Yuzhang could only watch, helpless and frustrated, as she set off with the maidservants.

Ashina had so many sons that Lin Fei could not get through them all in a single day — it took her a full several days before she had paid her respects to all of them.

By the time she returned, she had acquainted herself well with all the important figures. She had put together a dedicated register, noting down all those worth keeping a close eye on.

“In that dream of yours, did I do any of this?” She asked.

“No.” Xie Yuzhang said. “We were not thinking so clearly back then. The matter of paying calls and delivering gifts — we never took it on ourselves, and turned it all over to Yuan Ling.”

And then, within barely half a year, Yuan Yu fell gravely ill and died suddenly. Deprived of one able right arm, Xie Yuzhang’s affairs fell into a period of disarray; it was Lin Fei who sorted things out again. And because there was no one suitable to be promoted as household steward, many matters passed into Lin Fei’s young hands.

Prior to that, she had managed nothing beyond the affairs of Xie Yuzhang’s immediate circle.

Looking back, Xie Yuzhang reflected that Lin Fei’s tempering and growth had begun here.

Xie Yuzhang pressed her forehead against Lin Fei’s back.

Lin Fei was bent over her desk writing, and being leaned upon like this, her brush drew a slanting stroke across the paper. She said with gentle exasperation, “Stop making trouble — I am doing something important.”

Xie Yuzhang leaned over to look: “What are you writing?”

On the paper were the four characters: Household Steward Yuan Yu.

Lin Fei said, “I am recording important events. So Yuan Ling fell ill around half a year from now — correct?”

“Less than half a year. I recall it was… the fourth month or the fifth.” Xie Yuzhang said. “He suddenly began vomiting and suffering from severe diarrhea. Bao Zhongxin gave him medicine, but it did not help, and just like that he was gone.”

Lin Fei nodded: “So that is why, back in the palace, the list I sent to the Imperial Medical Bureau at your request specifically emphasized those symptoms.”

Xie Yuzhang said, “I did it for Yuan Ling’s sake. I thought — this time we have brought enough medicines, and we have recruited extra physicians from among the common people as well. When the time comes, all of us will be watching over him closely, keeping careful watch over what he eats and drinks. We absolutely cannot let him lose his life to such an illness.”

Lin Fei said, “Good.”

She put brush to paper and wrote: Fourth to Fifth Month — Food and Drink.

When she had finished, she asked, “When does Ma Jianye make his move?”

“There is no hurry.” Xie Yuzhang said. “I want to do it myself. I still need to practice.”

Lin Fei furrowed her brow: “It is not as if there are no others who could do it — why do it yourself?”

Xie Yuzhang said, “Because I despise him deeply. If I do not kill him with my own hands, I will not be able to let it rest.”

Lin Fei was silent for a moment, then said, “All right. I will train with you.”

Xie Yuzhang smiled.

“It is too cold now to go outside.” She wrapped her arms around Lin Fei from behind, pressing herself fully against her back, and said cheerfully as she made plans, “Once spring comes, we will go together. Let everyone train — even if not for riding and archery, at least for building strength and physical conditioning. We will face many things ahead; at the very least, everyone must be able to ride a horse and flee for their lives.”

Lin Fei then counted on her fingers: “The ones who cannot ride are only Xiaoya, Zijin, Rongrong, Suhe, and Xun’er. All the others can.”

Noble young women of Yunjing were fond of outings and pleasures, enjoyed football and polo, and so most of the maidservants around them knew how to ride — some with considerable skill.

Both Xie Yuzhang and Lin Fei had been accomplished riders in the past. Since Xie Yuzhang was reborn, with the added foundation of ten years of grasslands life behind her, her horsemanship had reached a level that could be called genuinely outstanding.

“Then we must train those few properly. No one is to be excused.” Xie Yuzhang said. “Train them hard!”

The words were fierce, but what Lin Fei felt behind them was Xie Yuzhang’s profound and tender care for the maidservants.

And so she could not help but ask, “What became of everyone in the end?” She was speaking, naturally, of Xie Yuzhang’s previous life — that dream.

Xie Yuzhang said, somewhat heavily, “Not well.”

“Some died of illness, some died in the fires of war, some were carried off by others. The remaining few — later, after the two of us were sent back, we never saw them again.” Xie Yuzhang was quiet for a long time, then said, “Some of the guards and artisans managed to make their own way back to Yunjing eventually — but these ones… not a single one. Not one was ever seen again.”

Hearing the grief in her voice, Lin Fei was just drawing breath to offer comfort, when Xie Yuzhang suddenly straightened up from her back.

“Afei!” Xie Yuzhang said. “In this life, I will not allow them to meet such a fate!”

Her beautiful face was resolute and solemn, her dark eyes clear and bright.

Lin Fei turned to look at her, and smiled: “All right.”

……

……

The bitter cold of winter passed, and on the grasslands the world began to stir back to life.

The people of the grasslands stepped out of their felt tents and continued the way of life that had been passed down from their ancestors across countless generations. Flocks of sheep ran across the hillsides — seen from a distance, they moved like drifting clouds.

And the clouds above hung low over the slopes, looking themselves like flock upon flock of sheep.

A slave herding the sheep stopped to look up at the clouds, and from within those clouds, a stretch of rosy brilliant color suddenly appeared.

The shepherd’s whip stilled; he stood there gazing into the distance. Young nobles who had been diligently practicing for the horseback competitions of the New Year celebrations let out whoops of excitement.

“Khan Consort Baohua!”

“Look there — it is the Khan Consort and her maidservants!”

“How beautiful!”

That swath of brilliant color drifting from among the white clouds was none other than the beautiful Zhao princess and her maidservants.

Their garments were so vivid and lovely; their faces so fair and fine. They rode atop galloping steeds with a radiant, spirited air.

The young nobles waved their riding crops, called out to them, sang flirtatious songs in their direction, and even performed daring feats on horseback to catch their attention. The young women rode past, leaving behind only a trail of laughter like silver bells.

Coming close behind was a company of Zhao guards. In comparison, they were far less impressive. Many of them rode with skill that could not match even the leading maidservants up ahead — to say nothing of competing with Khan Consort Baohua, who galloped at the very front.

Soldiers of humble origin had no way to measure themselves against maidservants in a noble’s service: in the past, they would never have had occasion to touch a horse, that costly means of conveyance — at most they might have led a horse by the bridle or brushed its mane for their betters.

Up on the high ground, Ashina sat astride his horse, smiling with warmth as he watched that swath of cloud and color drift closer toward him from the distance.

Xie Yuzhang’s horse began to slow. Though she herself could stop at a full gallop in an instant, the maidservants could not. They all began to ease off, and by the time they reached Ashina, every face was flushed with the healthy rose color that comes with exertion — youthful, beautiful, a delight to behold.

The most beautiful was naturally Xie Yuzhang. With all these lovely women beside her, they became nothing more than the green leaves that set off the most radiant bloom. She was dressed in a silk-padded cloak — both light and warm — and when she had been galloping, the hem had billowed and swept through the air, making her look like clouds at dawn.

“Khan!” She called out, her cheeks glowing pink, full of vital energy.

Ashina loved most of all to see her looking so full to the brim with youthful life, and said with a smile, “How is it?”

Xie Yuzhang’s eyes shone: “These horses are wonderful! Thank you, Khan!”

Ashina was a man who kept his word. During the winter he had promised to give her a fine batch of horses, and now he had made good on it.

Xie Yuzhang knew what to appreciate — which pleased him even more.

Some women preferred beautiful garments and glittering jewels; Xie Yuzhang prized fine horses, and in that she was more like a true daughter of the grasslands than many grassland women themselves.

Ashina was in excellent humor, and with his riding crop he pointed to the princess’s guards who had arrived a step behind the maidservants and said with a laugh, “My horses are fine horses — but your guards are not fine enough. They cannot even match your maidservants. They are unworthy of these horses.”

The group of men led by Wang Zhong each heard this, their faces burning red with shame, heads bowed. Only Ma Jianye was thick-skinned enough to grin through it. Had Xie Yuzhang not been standing between him and Ashina, he might even have stepped forward to echo the sentiment with a “The khan is absolutely right.”

But Xie Yuzhang never gave him opportunities to show himself in front of important people. Young as she was, she managed those beneath her with considerable strictness — toward Ma Jianye in particular she was firm — and even now Ma Jianye did not dare behave presumptuously before her.

Xie Yuzhang said, “They were all infantry before — how could they have had any occasion to touch a horse? They are only just beginning to learn — they are doing quite well.”

Hearing these words, the guards each straightened up instinctively, wanting to look as though they were worthy of the princess’s praise, striving not to bring shame upon her.

Ashina watched Xie Yuzhang with a warm smile.

This was a clever girl. She knew how to win the hearts of those beneath her. She was not a hollow beauty with only looks and nothing more.

For people who were clever or brave — man or woman alike — Ashina was always willing to be generous and forgiving.

“Have your people train well.” He said encouragingly. “Bring them up to a worthy standard and have them fight alongside my people.”

Li Gu had once said: only an army that fights constantly will never grow lax.

Xie Yuzhang’s face lit up as she declared loudly, “Just you wait — I will train them up!”

Then she added, “We will go train now! Let us go!”

And with that, she turned her horse’s head and led her people galloping away.

“Hey, hey!” Ashina stretched out a hand, watching helplessly as Xie Yuzhang led her maidservants and guards away together, all of them racing off.

Leaving nothing behind but a cloud of dust for him.

“Just like that she is gone! Such a flighty, headstrong girl!” he muttered. “I was going to have a meal with her!”

He had even taken a bath today on purpose, trimmed his beard, and used that flower-dew water she had given him — she did not even notice, too caught up in the horses to spare him a glance.

He had been thinking of taking her to ride together to a distant place for a spot of hunting… Truly — what a waste of such fine spring air!

Ashina was vexed.

What made Ashina even less pleased was when he meandered over to follow, only to find Xie Yuzhang and her maidservants at the archery ground, surrounded by a whole crowd of strong young nobles.

These young nobles had been practicing their riding and were heading back, when they spotted Xie Yuzhang and her maidservants practicing archery, and never mind how the women were actually shooting — they were whooping and cheering loudly at every shot.

Before long, someone’s hands were itching and he called out, “Hey, that stance is all wrong — let me show you!”

So saying, he dismounted and walked over, reaching out to take the bow and arrow from a maidservant’s hands.

The maidservant glanced toward Xie Yuzhang, who only smiled. The maidservant then loosened her grip and handed the bow over to him.

The others, seeing this, could hold themselves back no longer, and they all swung down from their horses to offer guidance to the young women.

Xie Yuzhang gave a quiet smile. Free teachers — why turn them down? She drew another arrow from the quiver, nocked it, and drew the bow. Her form was exemplary.

The arrow shot forward like a falling star and struck dead center. The precision was clearly there — a testament to genuine and diligent practice. Only the degree to which the arrow’s tail quivered revealed that her draw strength could not compare to theirs. This was the innate difference between men and women; there was nothing to be done about it. Unless Xie Yuzhang trained herself into a burly, muscular figure.

Naturally, no one wanted to see the delicate Zhao princess transformed into anything of the sort. There were more than enough powerfully built women built like men on the grasslands already — who needed to see more? The young men cheered loudly for Xie Yuzhang.

Only her stance and technique were beyond reproach — which left no room for them to show off by teaching her, much to their disappointment.

But the maidservants were all youthful and lovely too, with the refined beauty particular to women of the Central Plains — being around them was thoroughly enjoyable.

A young man smiled and asked, “Khan Consort Baohua, are you finding life on our grasslands to your liking?”

Xie Yuzhang shot him a sideways look and said, “What do you mean, ‘your grasslands’?”

The young men broke into laughter.

“Dielitele, the princess is already our Khan Consort!”

“You fool — she is a woman of our grasslands now!”

Dielitele scratched the back of his head and laughed good-naturedly.

He was Wuwei and Zadayali’s eldest son, only one year older than Xie Yuzhang — still very much a young man.

He and Wuwei were cut from the same cloth in their looks, bearing a strong resemblance to the old Khan Ashina. Seeing Wuwei and him side by side, Xie Yuzhang felt as though she were glimpsing the old khan in the full vigor of his middle years, and in the freshness of his boyhood.

“Dielitele, I have heard you also have another sister?” Xie Yuzhang asked.

“Yes.” Dielitele said with a smile. “She was married into my maternal uncle’s family last year.”

Xie Yuzhang knew all this already, of course. Zadayali had borne several children; three had survived. The eldest was Dielitele standing before her, one year older than herself. There was also a nine-year-old daughter who still remained at Zadayali’s side.

The eldest daughter, Jüchi, had been married into Zadayali’s maternal family — the Ameile tribe — wed to the son of Zadayali’s elder brother.

This marriage had been arranged from the moment of her birth. Zadayali was following the same path as Wuwei’s mother before her — her own paternal aunt — binding the Ashina clan and the Ashide clan tightly together.

Zadayali bore the family name Ashide. The Ashide clan and the Ashina clan had intermarried for generations, and such marriage ties had continued for many generations already.

The cousin Jüchi married was twenty-seven this year — sixteen years her senior.

Jüchi was eleven this year. She had been married off the previous year, when she was only ten.