The mountain mist had soaked through their outer garments, and fine droplets of water had formed on the exposed strands of hair. As the wind blew through, Shao Jun sneezed.

Chen Fang said, “Let’s get moving quickly.”

As they passed by, they had gotten a clear look at the other party — a father and daughter, both on horseback, each with a servant walking ahead leading the horse. Behind followed one more attendant riding a pack horse, loaded with luggage.

It truly didn’t resemble mountain spirits or demons.

Chen Fang and his party could not help instinctively tightening their guard nonetheless. The Narrow Pass was the sort of place where the road was too narrow, pressing strangers uncomfortably close together, with no room on either side to give way or retreat.

Only when both parties had fully drawn apart did Chen Fang and his group urge their horses forward in haste — their bodies had grown even colder.

The checkpoint at the end of the Narrow Pass looked somewhat different from the last time — several rooms had been added alongside, and the area enclosed by the rough wooden palisade had grown larger. The guard recognized Chen Fang, but had received no advance notice and was therefore rather puzzled: “How is it that you’ve come on your own, sir?”

Chen Fang said, “Always having them come to fetch me — what a bother to put on people. What is it? May I not pass?”

The guard said hastily, “No, no, of course you may — please rest first while you water your horses. Allow me to send someone to inform our official, so the city can prepare to receive you properly.”

Chen Fang pointed back the way they had come: “What time is it now? By the time the message goes there and back, I’ll have no wish to travel in the dark.”

Seeing this, the guard pointed to two subordinates: “You two — accompany this gentleman to see our official.”

The two guides were young, but silent as mutes. Shao Jun, curious, asked where they were from; they only said, “The Zhù household.” Asked their ages, they said they didn’t know. More questions met with nothing. Their mouths were sealed more tightly than a clam.

Because of the fog, the sky darkened early, and they arrived groping in the dark before the city gates. After their identities were verified, a party came out from the city to receive them.

Chen Fang’s heart lifted the moment he saw who led them. He smiled and said, “Why have you come yourself?” Then he introduced her to Shao Jun: “This is the great champion under Esteemed Uncle’s command — granted the Zhù surname by Esteemed Uncle, by the name Qingjun.”

Shao Jun clasped his hands in salute to Zhù Qingjun. Zhù Qingjun returned the salute: “Young Master Shao.”

Chen Fang said, “Oh — you know each other?”

Shao Jun said, “My father and the prefect are also old acquaintances. When I was in the capital I also accompanied my father when he called on the prefect, so of course I have met the young lady.”

“Oh! Yes, yes, I remember now.”

The three exchanged brief pleasantries. Zhù Qingjun said, “We just saw it in the official gazette — saying that you, young master, would be making another difficult journey. The official even said she estimated you would arrive within these two days, and had told Xiang Yu not to wander off, in case he needed to go down and meet you. The two of you, please.”

Chen Fang was a familiar guest here; Shao Jun, however, found everything new and fascinating. The hardships and dangers of the journey, the simplicity of the stone city — all were well worth observing. Before coming, he had seen Zheng Xi, who had his own purposes in sending Shao Jun along. Chief among them was to take a careful look at Zhù Ying’s territory.

“She has been working in secret, and her sudden move shook the whole realm. There must be things she has hidden. What Second Son of the Chen family saw is not necessarily the whole picture, and even what he saw, he will not report honestly. Leng Yun, moreover, is a man with no attention to detail. Li Yanqing is somewhat pedantic and unwilling to apply himself carefully. You are young and attentive — when you get there, look carefully.”

Shao Jun had been greatly stirred at the time, but went home and had a bucket of cold water poured on him by his father first: “Going to knock against a wall is also a good thing.”

Shao Jun was not entirely convinced, of course. He knew Zhù Ying was capable — a former Chancellor — but young people have an endearing stubbornness, and he still wanted to make this journey. Well… at any rate, he would simply avoid directly testing the Prefect herself, would he not? There was plenty else to observe. From the people around her, the place she occupied, the things she did — all of it would reveal something.

In this spirit, Shao Jun was somewhat wound up. Chen Fang, by comparison, appeared considerably more composed. He cleared his throat; when Shao Jun didn’t react, he clapped a hand on Shao Jun’s shoulder and led the way into the city with Zhù Qingjun.

Nighttime in the mountain city, fog everywhere. Only within the range of the two rows of torches was anything clearly visible; paper lanterns hung under the eaves along the street in some places but not others, all blurry outlines. Heading due north, the Zhù household was bright with lights and lanterns.

Xiang Yu stood at the gate to receive them. Chen Fang knew him; after brief pleasantries, they went further in — and there was Zhù Ying standing at the top of the steps before the great hall, surrounded by lanterns and torches that had driven back even the fog.

Shao Jun was surprised to find that Zhù Ying seemed little different from when she had been in the capital — indeed, she appeared to be living rather more comfortably. In mourning for her father, she wore plain white garments without adornment, yet there was an air of composure about her. Chen Fang composed himself and stepped forward, first offering condolences, and then delivering the court’s official charge.

Zhù Ying said, “You’ve come such a long distance — I know the hardships of the road. Come inside and let us speak at leisure.”

Host and guests were seated. Zhù Ying also asked after their fathers. Chen Meng’s situation was not good; Chen Fang could hardly say so plainly in front of Shao Jun, so he only said, “Still busy as usual.”

Shao Shuxin was doing reasonably well. Though Shao Jun also said “busy,” the ease of his expression contrasted sharply with the gravity of Chen Fang’s. Zhù Ying could tell that Chen and Shao were not of the same camp, and that there were things neither man could discuss in front of the other, so she kept to ordinary pleasantries.

Zhù Ying said, “I am in mourning, so I cannot offer you the hospitality you deserve.”

The two men hastened to say, “We have not come for pleasures.”

Each had his own mission and could not discuss it in front of the other, so both merely inquired after Zhang Xiangu. Zhù Ying, perceptive as ever, confirmed her assumptions were correct. She wasted no more of their time and quickly agreed to Chen Fang’s request, allowing both men and their entourages to be shown to the guest house. As before, it was Xiang Yu who accompanied them.

Arriving at the guest house, Xiang Yu smiled at Chen Fang: “Second Young Master, you know this place well — I’ll spare you the formalities. If there’s anything you need, just say so.”

Chen Fang smiled back: “As it happens, there is one thing I’d like to ask — though I’m afraid you won’t be willing to tell me the truth.”

Xiang Yu said with a grin, “Go ahead and tell me what it is first.”

Chen Fang said, “I’ve noticed everyone in the household has a tense look. Is something happening?”

Xiang Yu said, “As you know, the old master of our household has just passed, and the official is still in mourning. Who could be in a cheerful mood?”

Chen Fang said, “No need to answer if you don’t want to. We can be counted as friends, you and I. If you don’t tell me, then don’t tell me — but to say something that doesn’t ring true, when I’ve clearly heard through it, would make you seem distant, and then we can hardly be friends at all.”

Xiang Yu hurriedly begged for mercy: “You’ve done it — you’ve worn me down! Truly, there’s nothing. Even if there were, with the official here, could it really be called a problem?”

“So there is something,” Chen Fang said.

Xiang Yu replied, “No harm in telling you. Look at this county town — it’s not small for this region, but you’re both from the capital, men who have seen the great world. By that measure, a little county town like this is nothing, am I right?”

Chen Fang said, “That may be so, yet to have this haven amid the mountains is quite a rare thing.”

Xiang Yu said, “As fine as it is, it’s still small, and not densely populated — so whatever happens tends to reach the official’s ears, and many things she handles personally. Well, there’s been a bit of a household matter, involving a young woman, requiring the official’s judgment. It’s all been resolved. As for people — well, we all have that bad habit of weeping at old operas, worrying over the fate of people from ancient times. It shows on everyone’s faces. Only, please forgive me for not speaking ill of a young woman behind her back.”

Chen Fang tilted his head and looked at Xiang Yu for a moment. Xiang Yu drew himself up straight. Chen Fang said, “Never mind — a passing curiosity. Who would press you? So as you say, is my uncle these days quite free? Will I be able to see him tomorrow?”

“Of course — the winter wheat has been harvested, the spring plowing is more than half done, and there’s not much urgent work. The official is also in mourning, so there’s time. You two have come from far away — surely just for the condolence call? Nothing more?”

Chen Fang said, “A court assignment — how could that be false? And since we’ve come, we might as well take the opportunity to visit with Esteemed Uncle and the Old Madam again. You just said ‘such a long way’ — without a court assignment, how would we ever have reason to come again in our lifetimes? Of course we must make the most of it.”

Both Xiang Yu and Chen Fang had gotten what they needed from the exchange. Xiang Yu had no wish to linger, and Chen Fang no wish to detain him; Xiang Yu soon left the guest house.

Shao Jun asked, “Was what he said true?”

“Something in the style of Spring and Autumn annals,” Chen Fang said vaguely. “In any case, this mountain city has its interesting aspects. When you have time, go look around the market — it’s quite something.”

“Is that so? Then I really must have a look.”

Though the two had come together, each had his own calculations; after a while, they soon both retired for the night.

Over on the other side, Xiang Yu could not rest. He first went back to report to Zhù Ying that Chen Fang and Shao Jun wished an audience the next day, adding, “Official, the son of the Chancellor’s household has been traveling back and forth these past two years — it doesn’t seem like it could all be for this one matter.”

Zhù Ying nodded: “Of course. Counting Leng Yun, they’ve all come to gauge my weight. It makes no difference. You should also go and rest.”

“Yes.”

Xiang Yu returned to his own quarters, only to find Fourth Young Lady sitting in the front hall. The moment she saw him, she stood up: “Cousin.”

Xiang Yu’s face fell: “What happened with you all? You came here of your own good will, saying you wanted to study — the official didn’t beg you to come; your parents brought you with great effort. My aunt and I also put in many good words with the official. And now, only a few days into school, you’re making a fuss about leaving. What am I supposed to say?”

Fourth Young Lady was thoroughly aggrieved: “We came whole-heartedly to study. Third Young Lady came with such fine intentions too — she has her own difficulties. Is the official… is the official angry? Can we still stay?”

Xiang Yu said, “What exactly happened?”

Fourth Young Lady still hesitated. Xiang Yu’s face grew quite dark: “What? Even now you want to hide things from me? Then figure out how to explain yourself on your own.”

Fourth Young Lady had no choice: “Well… she had a sweetheart back in the lowlands, and she missed him, so…”

Xiang Yu stared in blank astonishment: “What?! Then why did she come up here at all? If she’d stayed home and gotten married, everyone would have been spared the trouble!”

“Going up the mountain was a good opportunity. Her parents wanted her to develop her abilities. Cousin — what about the rest of us?”

Xiang Yu blinked: “Shoveling mud onto a wall when it won’t stick! And wasting everyone else’s time besides! No wonder…”

No wonder no one in the household wanted to tell him the truth. Third Young Lady Wang was a young girl attending school in the mountains. The girls’ coursework was the same as the boys’, and some of it was demanding. The young lady had found it fresh at first; after two months, she began to struggle. Here at the school, students had no servants to wait on them and had to handle most things themselves. Added to this was the separation from her young sweetheart, and Third Young Lady Wang grew more and more homesick.

Zhù Ying’s approach with students, male or female, was that they must endure hardship and put in effort. And since girls were considered adults at fifteen and boys at twenty, the time left for girls was inherently shorter — they had to work all the harder, with no leisure for being treated like precious jade and coaxed along.

These six young women had been sent by the gentry families; they were not people who had gone through a selection process like Zhou Wei and the others. This hardship was something Third Young Lady could not swallow. She wanted to go home.

If it had only been a matter of wanting to go home, it wouldn’t have come to avoiding a young man like Xiang Yu. Young Miss Zhao knew they were all in this together and would not let Third Young Lady leave. Third Young Lady was bound to go to Huajie and say she wanted to go home. Young Miss Zhao, who knew about Third Young Lady’s young sweetheart, had confiscated the jade pendant with the lover’s knot that he had given Third Young Lady as a keepsake — holding it as a kind of leverage.

But Third Young Lady turned out to be a stubborn sort. She refused to be threatened, and the matter blew up.

Fortunately it was Huajie who handled things. She covered up the “longing for the world of men” aspect and told the outside world only that Third Young Lady was “homesick.” When Zhù Ying called the young women in to ask questions, Huajie also made sure to send away the idle male bystanders.

Third Young Lady was gone now. The remaining young women had been worried all day, and so Fourth Young Lady had come to find out what the situation was. She also said, “Cousin, you must not let this get out!”

Xiang Yu said, “I understand. Go back and behave yourselves. Don’t create any more incidents.”

“Yes.”

Xiang Yu looked at his cousin and felt a little sorry for her. He comforted her a bit and said, “The official always has a certain indulgence toward girls.”

“Ah.”

“I’ll walk you back to the dormitory.”

——

Xiang Yu had a servant carry a torch and personally walked Fourth Young Lady back to her dormitory. By the time he returned home, the night was already very late. There was a great deal to do the next day; Xiang Yu quickly washed up and prepared for an early rise to go to the Zhù household.

At that hour in the Zhù household, Zhù Ying had not yet rested. She was in her study, staring silently at Zhù Qingjun, while Huajie sat to one side in a chair, her expression a mix of worry and amusement.

Zhù Ying asked, “A man from the Xi Ka family?”

Zhù Qingjun pressed her face into a rigid expression: “Mm.”

Huajie said, “He sang to you?”

“Mm.”

Zhù Qingjun and Xiang Le were stationed in Gan County, which was even more difficult to manage. The two of them, with a group of young helpers, had been run ragged from the previous year until now, and several people had been injured in a number of dangerous incidents. Thanks to the planting of winter wheat last year, the harvest had been good, and since they were not imposing heavy taxes — and were also distributing land — the people’s hearts had gradually settled.

Every spring when the weather warmed was also the season for young men and women to seek each other out. Zhù Qingjun and Xiang Le had divided their responsibilities: Zhù Qingjun took care more of security and defense; Xiang Le handled more of the civil administration.

On this day, Zhù Qingjun was leading a patrol of the borderlands when she encountered a young man from the Xi Ka family. The Xi Ka family were intermarried with the Yi Gan family, and some Yi Gan people had taken refuge with the Xi Ka family, so the relationship between the Xi Ka family and Wuzhou was not particularly friendly.

“I gave him a good beating — he fled at the time and said nothing. Later he came back to provoke trouble, so I beat him again… and after a few beatings, he…”

Huajie listening could barely suppress her laughter. Zhù Ying found it somewhat incomprehensible: “What is wrong with him? There’s no ulterior motive here, is there?”

Huajie gave a mock reproach: “Our Qingjun is a young woman. Being a little cautious is good — one must guard against others. But don’t assume everyone is ill-intentioned. You should also consider what Qingjun herself feels.”

Zhù Qingjun’s expression was extremely serious: “Teacher, I don’t know either. It’s very odd. Beat him as I might, he won’t leave — he’s absolutely shameless. Official — are we truly not going to fight the Xi Ka family just yet?”

Zhù Ying extended two fingers and tapped the tabletop: “I am in mourning. How fitting is it for me to go to war lightly? Besides, I should go to Gan County and see things for myself. I used to be able to trust you and Second Xiang to handle it, but now…”

Zhù Qingjun puffed out her cheeks.

Huajie said, “But — the Second Son of the Chen family and the others…”

“They won’t stay long. This is a matter of a few days at most. Once I’ve dealt with them, I’ll go to Gan County.”

Huajie smiled: “Very well. Qingjun, it’s been a while since we’ve had a good proper talk. Come stay with me tonight.” She took Zhù Qingjun by the arm and left, leaving Zhù Ying to blink and ponder for quite a while before finally returning to her room to rest.