Night fell over the imperial city, covering it in a plain white, like snow.

Eunuch Qi came in and placed a thin blanket over Xiao Yu, who had fallen asleep leaning against her.

“Your Highness, please attend to your duties,” Eunuch Qi said softly. “I’ll stay here.”

Chu Zhao didn’t decline. She gently stroked Xiao Yu’s head, let him lie in Eunuch Qi’s arms, then rose and walked out.

Outside, many officials and their wives were kneeling. They didn’t need to wail in mourning at night, but such a night vigil was still exhausting, both physically and mentally.

Hearing footsteps, the officials and ladies raised their heads to see the girl walking out.

Over these days, they had become familiar with this girl. Though not yet officially invested, the Chu girl appeared wherever the Imperial Grandson was.

She was also busy.

Deng Yi met with her, Eunuch Qi met with her, Xie Yanfang met with her—

By comparison, the Imperial Grandson merely knelt before the Emperor’s coffin with nothing to do. A six-year-old child naturally had no official duties, so this Empress would inevitably act on his behalf, and in the future—

The girl surely sensed the gazes around her, but she looked straight ahead, walking slowly out. Behind her followed a girl dressed as a palace maid, though her demeanor was anything but.

She was about the same age as Chu Zhao. Unlike Chu Zhao’s straight gaze, this girl immediately stared back at whoever looked at her, her almond eyes flashing with ferocity.

While other palace maids kept their hands lowered and heads bowed, she held her chin high, hands resting on her waist, as if ready to draw a weapon at any moment—

Though no one believed this girl would truly commit violence, it was better to avoid trouble. The officials and ladies all withdrew their gazes.

Chu Zhao walked outside the great hall. The summer night breeze wasn’t particularly refreshing, but it allowed one to exhale stale air softly.

“Where is Uncle Zhong?” Chu Zhao asked Xiao Man quietly.

Xiao Man tilted her chin up toward the sky: “How would I know? I’ve been with you the whole time.”

That night, with the Dragon Might Army present, Uncle Zhong had assigned other tasks to Xiao Man and her group, keeping them at Chu Garden. However, Xiao Man refused to stay behind.

“—The General,” the girl said through gritted teeth, “told me to watch over her.”

Uncle Zhong had glared at the girl, but presumably feeling that the General’s orders couldn’t be disobeyed, he finally agreed.

Xiao Man had stayed with her, day and night, never leaving her side, though her attitude wasn’t particularly good, and she rarely spoke.

Having witnessed this girl’s formidable abilities, and considering she was their and Xiao Yu’s savior, neither Chu Zhao nor A-Le found her behavior strange, nor did they truly treat the girl as a guard to be ordered about.

A-Le tried everything to please her and make her happy.

Though Xiao Man seemed difficult to please, she was easy to get along with. She didn’t talk much, but occasionally she would stare at Chu Zhao, observing her thoughtfully—

Chu Zhao smiled at Xiao Man’s response and didn’t ask further. She called over an imperial guard, gave some instructions, and the guard hurried away. Chu Zhao turned to see Xiao Man secretly observing her again. Their eyes met, and Xiao Man turned to look at the sky.

“Xiao Man, do you dislike my father?” Chu Zhao asked with a smile.

Her question was direct. Xiao Man turned to look at Chu Zhao: “Yes.”

Chu Zhao wasn’t angry; her gaze became even gentler as she asked, “Are your parents still alive?”

Xiao Man’s eyes immediately turned fierce, and she squeezed out three words between her teeth: “They’re gone.”

So it was as she thought. Chu Zhao said softly: “So you’re all family members of sacrificed soldiers, aren’t you?”

If that was the case, their dislike of her father and poor attitude toward Uncle Zhong were understandable.

“After all, it was my father who caused you to lose your family.”

As a commander, he had to send soldiers to battle, and battles always resulted in deaths. Soldiers were people too, with families.

Chu Zhao knew there was a place in Luocheng where families of deceased soldiers gathered—elderly parents and young children. Her father had specifically allocated military funds to care for them and helped them find livelihoods.

But no matter how well they were cared for, they had still lost their loved ones. Especially the children—they would harbor resentment, wouldn’t they?

Hearing Chu Zhao speak this way, Xiao Man’s expression became somewhat strange. She suddenly smiled, then her eyes returned to their gloomy state.

“That’s right,” she said. “It was your father who made us lose our families.”

Chu Zhao was about to say something when Zhong Changrong strode over. Seeing the two of them talking, he immediately looked warily at Xiao Man.

“Don’t talk nonsense,” he warned her right away.

Xiao Man snorted and turned her head to look at the sky.

Chu Zhao quickly reassured Zhong Changrong: “We weren’t saying anything important. Miss Xiao Man doesn’t like to talk much. I was just asking if she was comfortable in the palace.”

Zhong Changrong scrutinized Xiao Man with a glare and said: “What’s there to be comfortable or uncomfortable about? If she could adapt to military camps, she can certainly adapt to the palace.”

This statement also sounded strange. It seemed that while in the border commandery, Xiao Man and the others didn’t hide their dissatisfaction with her father. Of course, dissatisfaction aside, they still carried out their duties efficiently and reliably, otherwise Uncle Zhong wouldn’t have allowed Xiao Man to accompany her.

Chu Zhao took hold of Zhong Changrong, dropping that topic.

“Uncle Zhong, have you sent news to my father?” she asked.

Since that night, everyone had been busy. Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang were occupied with investigating the court, while Uncle Zhong held the safety of the entire capital in his hands.

After Xie Yanfang’s return, the city gates were opened, and they had to examine and reorganize the capital’s garrison. Even with the Dragon Might Army, Zhong Changrong was overwhelmed. Fortunately, Xie Yanlai was guarding the imperial city, otherwise he would truly be stretched too thin—but why say “fortunately” about Xie Yanlai?

That boy wasn’t reliable either!

Zhong Changrong pulled back from his wandering thoughts and took a deep breath. Of course, no matter how busy he was, he had sent such momentous news to the General immediately.

“I told the General that there’s no way he can resign now,” he said quietly.

For the sake of the young lady, the General couldn’t resign his position.

Though he didn’t understand these court matters, even in common marriages, the bride’s family was important. Now with the Emperor and Crown Prince both dead, leaving only this six-year-old child, the young lady’s marriage left her in a vulnerable position—

Wait.

The young lady, married to a six-year-old child.

Zhong Changrong was dumbfounded, his mind blank. Previously, he had only thought about the Empress title, that the young lady had become Empress, focusing only on that status. He seemed to have forgotten that becoming Empress meant marrying the Emperor, and now, the Emperor was only six years old.

This, this, this—

Was this good or bad?

What would the General think? Would the General be anxious? Would the General disapprove?

Though an Emperor’s command couldn’t be disobeyed, the General had disobeyed before—

“Uncle Zhong?” Chu Zhao called several times.

Zhong Changrong came back to his senses, looking anxious: “I, I should send more news to the General.” He turned to leave.

Chu Zhao quickly held him back: “Uncle Zhong, don’t write letters. Go back to see my father.”

Zhong Changrong was stunned. Go back?

“Young Lady,” he said urgently, glancing around. The deep imperial halls had many eyes looking outward—

Zhong Changrong couldn’t help but pull Chu Zhao to one side, standing in shadows where the light didn’t reach.

He lowered his voice: “How can I abandon you alone in the capital now?”

Chu Zhao looked at Zhong Changrong. In the flickering light, Zhong Changrong’s scarred face appeared more ferocious and terrifying, but she could see the concern beneath the frightening exterior.

“Uncle Zhong, with father and all of you, no matter where I am, I’m never alone,” she said. “With you all, I can be secure in the capital. But father—”

Father’s health was failing; he didn’t have long to live.

“Uncle Zhong, we can’t leave Father alone in the border commandery.”

“Compared to me, father needs you more.”

Zhong Changrong understood the General’s physical condition better than anyone—indeed, he had exhausted himself. Add to that this sudden turn of events, and who knew if the General’s condition might worsen upon receiving the news—

Now the Dragon Might Army was the young lady’s protection. Though the General was surrounded by reliable people, the court’s situation was truly volatile.

“Moreover, the Prince of Zhongshan is the greatest danger. Zhongshan Commandery lies between the border and the capital. If they make a move, causing unrest on the border, the capital will also be in danger.”

True, the Prince of Zhongshan was ambitious. Having established himself in the capital for so many years, he could certainly do the same in the border regions. Who knew if the border commandery was already in turmoil? Thinking of this, Zhong Changrong wished he could sprout wings and fly back to the border immediately—

But he looked at the girl before him, appearing even smaller, wrapped in mourning clothes.

“Young Lady, you alone—”

Chu Zhao smiled and shook her head: “I’m not alone. I have Xiao Man.” She pointed to the side.

When they had walked over to talk, Xiao Man hadn’t followed, standing in place with her head turned away. But sensing that Chu Zhao was talking about her, she turned her head even further away—

Zhong Changrong’s expression was complex: “She—she’s just a girl.”

But he didn’t say Xiao Man wasn’t reliable.

“And,” Chu Zhao said, looking past Zhong Changrong, her eyes brightening with a smile, “there’s A-Jiu.”

A-Jiu?

Zhong Changrong turned to see a young commander walking unhurriedly through the distant palace gate, lamplight reflecting off his iron armor.

That boy again!