With fresh horses, the official road to the capital was wide and smooth. A-Le didn’t even need to hold the reins to control her horse. She held a paper package in one hand while taking out snacks to eat with the other.

“Zhang Touer prepared all these capital city snacks,” A-Le said. “I haven’t had them for so long, I missed them.”

Chu Zhao smiled and said, “We haven’t been away that long.”

Or rather, they had only been in the capital for about two years.

Chu Zhao looked ahead. The city walls were nestled among green willows and red flowers. As they got closer to the capital, she felt somewhat excited.

Was this the excitement of returning home?

Her father was no longer there, and Yunzhong Commandery had fallen and become distant. Yunzhong Commandery was ten years in her past, truly becoming unfamiliar to her.

But was the capital her home? It seemed to matter little now; everywhere was the same.

“Let’s go,” Chu Zhao raised her whip to urge her horse forward. Regardless, the capital was now her destination.

A-Le quickly hugged the paper package and urged her horse forward, not forgetting to remind Ding Dachui behind her: “Keep up with me. It’s your first time in the capital, and you don’t know the way.”

Ding Dachui wore ordinary robes, dressed as a household servant, as did the mountain bandits accompanying him.

At the relay station, besides changing horses, the Dragon Guard continued to scout ahead as before. Ding Dachui and his men had taken off their armor and changed into ordinary robes, serving as attendants around Chu Zhao.

Ding Dachui and his men were indeed nervous. Aside from soon entering the imperial palace, even the journey itself was dazzling, with people everywhere, and markets—and they hadn’t even reached the capital yet.

“Stop gawking,” Ding Dachui scolded his companions as he watched A-Le clutching her package to catch up with Chu Zhao. “Don’t act like you’ve never seen the world.”

One companion chuckled: “But we haven’t seen the world. Who would have thought we’d come to the capital?”

Originally, they hadn’t even dared to venture out of the mountains. Ding Dachui took a deep breath, looking ahead: “Things we never imagined have come true, so everyone must stay alert and not squander this tremendous blessing.”

His companions straightened their backs and responded loudly in unison.

This unified shout startled travelers on the road, who cast curious glances their way before quickly losing interest—clearly country folk.

Ding Dachui anxiously signaled everyone to calm down and avoid drawing attention. They galloped forward, spreading out around Chu Zhao in a dispersed yet tight formation.

……

……

The capital’s markets were prosperous. Although the citizens were accustomed to this, today felt different.

“What’s going on?” Two men walked out of a tavern, annoyed. “Why are all the second-floor rooms fully booked today?”

The waiter apologized with a smile behind them: “I’m very sorry, it’s just unfortunate timing today.”

Hearing this, several people who were about to enter stopped.

“What?” they asked, wide-eyed. “Is this place also fully booked?”

The men who had just left said irritably: “Yes, it’s full.”

The waiter smiled: “Gentlemen, we still have a few tables in the common area.”

Everyone expressed their displeasure in unison: “Who wants to sit in the common area?”

The waiter smiled ambiguously: “If you don’t take the common seats now, they’ll soon be gone too.”

The waiters had become so impudent today! Several people irritably flicked their sleeves.

“Let’s go to Cuifeng Tower up ahead; it’s much better than this place,” one person said.

But the three newcomers smiled bitterly: “Brother, Cuifeng Tower is also full, which is why we came here.”

“It’s not just these two places,” another person said, pointing to the street lined with taverns and teahouses. “We’ve checked the remaining few places too. All the street-facing private rooms are taken. If you want to eat, you can only sit in the common area.”

“How strange,” the two men who had left first were puzzled. “Has everyone with money in the capital come out to eat today?”

The best viewing rooms in these taverns and teahouses were not cheap.

“I inquired at one place, and they said their rooms were booked by some young ladies,” one man said. “It seems they’re celebrating something for someone.”

Another man also remembered: “I heard that too. I think it’s for Miss Chu.”

The mention of Miss Chu was familiar to everyone now, but the Empress wasn’t in the capital.

“Besides the Empress, the Chu family has another young lady,” the first man said dismissively.

And she was quite prominent now, having personally captured Xiao Xun and ridden alongside the Emperor in the victory parade. What other woman could receive such honors?

Miss Chu Tang’s reputation had risen rapidly in the capital. She had been granted the title of Princess Huimin, and countless banquets had been held at Chu Garden. It was said that one time there was even an all-night celebration with only women attending, something truly unheard of.

In the past, when the imperial relatives of the Yang and Zhao families were at their peak, even their women had never done such things.

“Flourishing at home isn’t enough; now they’ve taken over the taverns and teahouses,” the men sighed with annoyance. They had witnessed firsthand how outrageous young women could be when they became unrestrained.

Never mind. As the men were figuring out where else they could go to eat, they heard a commotion ahead.

“Come quick! It’s Mistress Wanqing from Chunshui Residence!”

Chunshui Residence was a famous brothel in the capital, and Mistress Wanqing was its top courtesan, beautiful and talented, especially skilled in dancing. Seeing her was no easy feat.

Especially during the day, on the main street?

Several men instinctively started to follow the crowd, then caught themselves and felt somewhat embarrassed. They exchanged glances and composed themselves.

“Let’s check other establishments,” they said in unison, then shared an awkward smile as they merged into the crowd on the street.

The commotion was real. After walking a few steps, they saw an elegantly dressed woman on the street.

The woman wore elaborate makeup and had a graceful figure that stood out distinctly in the crowd. She was standing in front of a shop, examining her makeup in a bronze mirror held by her maid, and lightly touching up her lip rouge with her finger—this coquettish gesture drew sighs of admiration from all around.

The gathering crowd didn’t seem to affect Mistress Wanqing, as the shop attendants had already formed a barrier at the entrance, preventing the public from getting too close.

This was a gold merchant’s shop owned by the Sheng family, a wealthy and established household with extravagant sons.

“Which young master of the Sheng family spent a fortune to invite Mistress Wanqing to their home?” some curious onlookers called out.

“Aren’t they afraid of having their legs broken by Old Master Sheng?” others joked.

When the young masters caused trouble outside, their elders might turn a blind eye, but if they brought the trouble home, family punishment would follow.

The shop manager stood nearby, smiling and responding to the public’s questions: “It wasn’t the young masters who invited her, but the young ladies of the family.”

This caused an even greater uproar among the crowd.

Were even the Sheng family’s women now frequenting brothels and hiring courtesans?

“No, no,” the manager waved his hands, smiling. “Our young ladies invited Mistress Wanqing to dance.”

Dance! The crowd grew more excited, and indeed, they saw Mistress Wanqing’s attendants setting up a small stage in front of the shop.

Seeing Mistress Wanqing was rare enough, but watching her dance was even rarer.

This was like finding a thousand gold pieces on the street!

The area in front of the shop became so crowded that not even water could flow through, but although the stage was set, Mistress Wanqing didn’t immediately step up to perform.

“Why isn’t she dancing yet?” countless voices urged.

The manager once again waved his hands with a smile: “The time hasn’t come yet, the time hasn’t come.”

Even a dance had its appointed time? The crowd was both impatient and expectant. Just as the clamor reached its peak, another commotion arose nearby.

“Come quick! The Four Charming Sisters from Golden Phoenix Tower have arrived at Wang’s Pawnshop!”

This announcement was like a firecracker thrown onto level ground, causing a group of people to rush away—not far, just across the street to the right front, where under the sign of Wang’s Pawnshop, four women were alighting from a carriage.

The four wore identical clothes, identical ornaments, each carrying a pipa, and even their faces looked the same.

The Four Charming Sisters wasn’t the name of one person but referred to quadruplets, courtesans from Golden Phoenix Tower who played the pipa. They had even performed at imperial banquets in the palace and received rewards from the late Emperor.

“What special day is today?” The crowd was overwhelmed. “Has Wang’s Pawnshop come into some fortune?”

They were already quite wealthy, taking in and giving out, profiting from both sides.

Half the onlookers instantly abandoned the Sheng family’s storefront. The manager’s smile turned cold: “The Wang family truly has no shame. Can’t they think of anything original? Why must they copy our young ladies!”

With the two establishments causing people to run back and forth, unable to leave either attraction, suddenly another place called out: “Ximo Pavilion—”

The crowd paused, and many people blurted out, “Which courtesan has Ximo Pavilion invited?”

Even a bookstore selling literary works was also—

“No, no, none at all.”

Outside Ximo Pavilion, the manager and clerks had set up tables with brushes, ink, paper, inkstones, and screens.

“Today, Ximo Pavilion is holding an event, inviting everyone—” the manager pointed to the writing implements, “to compose congratulatory verses for Empress Chu.”

Empress Chu? Composing congratulatory verses for the Empress? Seeing there were no courtesans to watch and that this was about literary matters, many people dispersed, though scholars gathered around, discussing animatedly.

Why was Ximo Pavilion holding an event to congratulate the Empress?

Ximo Pavilion did have a connection with Empress Chu. When she was still Miss Chu, she had held literary gatherings at Chu Garden, and the literary compilations were sold by Ximo Pavilion.

So much time had passed before Ximo Pavilion came to curry favor with Empress Chu—wasn’t it a bit late?

“Empress Chu stopped the rebellion of the King of Zhongshan’s heir,” the Ximo Pavilion manager explained. They weren’t trying to curry favor with the Empress but rather admired her. “Empress Chu also fought in the border commanderies. Thinking of the past and considering the present, Empress Chu has done many things. We feel we should compose congratulatory verses for her to acknowledge her achievements.”

Oh, indeed, Empress Chu had accomplished quite a lot. There was much to write about and much to celebrate—

“Anyone who composes congratulatory verses for Empress Chu will be judged on talent and quality, and will receive discounts on all books and paintings in our store.”

All items in the store!

Books and paintings were expensive; getting a discount was a rare opportunity.

Immediately, four or five scholars stepped forward.

“Let me try!”

But the clerks guarded the writing table.

“Wait a moment!” they said. “The auspicious time has not yet arrived. You may contemplate your verses first.”

What auspicious day and time was it today after all?