The turmoil in the capital was confined to the capital’s boundaries. Outside the capital, all was calm and peaceful. Many prefectures weren’t even aware that anything had happened in the capital.

It was only when the government posted announcements that the common people learned of the major events.

“The Crown Prince was killed by the Third Prince.”

“I knew something would happen. The Zhao family was too favored.”

“At least the Crown Prince’s son is still alive.”

“The Imperial Grandson has been raised by His Majesty all along. That’s fortunate—His Majesty still has someone in his lineage.”

“Not only is there the Imperial Grandson, but the Imperial Grandson also has a wife now. This makes things even more stable.”

“But who is this Chu Zhao? Which noble family’s daughter? And she even saved the Imperial Grandson.”

“Didn’t you read the whole announcement? It says she’s the daughter of General Chu Li.”

“Who is General Chu Li? I’ve never heard of him.”

“General Chu Li is a great figure. In those years—”

However, the impact of written descriptions wasn’t great. Compared to the citizens of the capital, people elsewhere were shocked but not particularly anxious. On the contrary, they were more curious about the wife the Emperor had chosen for the Imperial Grandson.

For a time, everywhere people discussed it, and General Chu Li’s past was dug up again.

So when news arrived shortly after that the Emperor had passed away and the Imperial Grandson had ascended the throne, the people weren’t greatly shaken. Alas, the Emperor was human too—with two sons ending up this way, how could a father bear it? His health already poor, he became excessively grief-stricken and followed them to the grave.

But there was no need to worry. Although the Imperial Grandson was young, he had the Grand Tutor supervising the government, his maternal uncle assisting him, and the illustrious Chu Li at his side. The nation had no cause for concern.

After successive claps of muffled thunder, more people surged into the main hall of the Bei Caozhen courier station.

“Boss, we’re going to be fully booked tonight,” a servant happily sidled over and whispered to the plump station manager standing in the entranceway. “Let’s break out our treasured wine and sell it.”

The plump station manager, who seemed to be staring at the sky, lost in thought, withdrew his gaze and glanced at the servant. “Do you want to die? The Late Emperor is still in the mourning period.”

The servant ducked his head. This wasn’t a case of “the mountains are high and the emperor far away”—

“The new Emperor has ascended the throne and also gotten married. Isn’t that worth celebrating?” he said awkwardly.

The station manager waved his hand. “Get out, get out, don’t cause trouble for me.”

The servant turned and ran off.

The station manager looked into the hall with a complex expression. The hall was packed with people, but they kept mentioning only two names over and over: Chu Li and the Empress.

How Chu Li was this and that, and how the Empress was such and such.

“It’s like we’ve gone back more than ten years,” a courier walked out and sighed to the station manager. “Back then, Chu Li was the most talked-about topic at the courier station—what new thing Chu Li had done, what gifts the Emperor had bestowed upon Chu Li. I never expected that after more than a decade of silence, Chu Li would return to prominence.”

He then lowered his voice.

“Everyone is also discussing Chu Li’s daughter, but they say she’s insignificant, utterly ordinary. She became Empress only because of Chu Li.”

The station manager snorted with laughter and looked into the hall. Insignificant? Ordinary? To say nothing else, this supposedly “ordinary” Empress had caused quite a stir at their courier station and had nearly cost him his life—

The station manager touched his neck.

The courier also touched his neck and said, “And that minor official Deng Yi who was sent here on a difficult assignment has become the Grand Tutor.”

Indeed, of the people who had passed through their small courier station, one had become the Empress and another had become the Grand Tutor. This was beyond their wildest dreams. The station manager pressed his neck and looked around. Could this little rundown courier station be considered a place where outstanding people emerged?

However—

“Keep your mouth shut. Not a word about A-Fu,” the station manager said in a low voice.

The courier hurriedly nodded. “Don’t worry, boss.”

That Miss Chu, who had used the alias A-Fu, was incredibly clever and had fooled those people. Now she had become the Empress. Was that also obtained through deception?

Whether she got it through her father’s influence or her trickery, that girl was now the Empress!

The Empress!

As the two stood in the hall, each with their thoughts, accompanied by rolls of thunder, a carriage galloped up and stopped outside.

“Sir,” an old woman alighted, leading a young child, and hurried respectfully toward the station manager with a bow. “Could you allow us to stay for one night?”

The old woman was trembling and dressed simply. The child was also trembling and timid, looking pitiful.

The station manager, hand on his belt, asked kindly, “Do you have travel documents or official passes?”

The old woman shook her head. “Sir, we have no official status. It’s just that it’s about to rain, and my old man is unwell. I beg you to let us stay for one night.”

As she spoke, she moved forward and took out a money pouch from her sleeve, trying to slip it to the station manager.

The station manager hurriedly stepped back, avoiding the old woman.

“I dare not, I cannot,” he said solemnly. “Leaving aside that we’re fully booked today, station rules prohibit commoners from staying. Old granny, you’d better hurry along. There’s a town not far ahead.”

The old woman fell to her knees with a thud. The child, startled, clung to her arm and cried.

“Sir, sir, please have mercy. My son and daughter-in-law died early, leaving only this grandson. My old man is all this old woman and grandson have to rely on, and his illness cannot withstand more rain,” she wept. “I’m not asking for a room, just to shelter under the eaves for one night.”

Some guests came out from the hall and, seeing the pitiful old woman and child, also urged the station manager to let them stay just for one night, saying they could squeeze in.

But no matter how the old woman begged, how the child cried, or how others pleaded, the station manager remained heartlessly unmoved, and the courier maintained a serious expression.

“If you truly want to save your husband, then hurry on with your carriage,” the station manager said gravely. “The sooner you leave, the sooner you’ll reach the town and find lodging.”

As he spoke, he bowed respectfully in the direction of the capital.

“The nation has many affairs now, with the new Emperor ascending the throne. We who eat the Emperor’s grain must strictly adhere to our duties.”

Seeing he truly wouldn’t budge, the old woman left, crying and carrying the child, stumbling away.

The guests in the hall all shook their heads at the station manager. “You’re too rigid.” “Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda.” “Helping the old and weak is showing care for the people on behalf of the new Emperor.”

Regardless of what everyone said, the station manager just smiled and shook his head. Only after the old woman’s carriage had disappeared down the road, with dark clouds pressing down from the distance, did he stop.

Pitiful? He had seen more pitiful people before and had helped them. And what was the result?

That pitiful person now sat high on the Empress’s throne.

He vowed that in the future, when being charitable, he would keep his eyes wide open. He couldn’t pity everyone he saw, especially those who offered money as bribes.

Not only could he not accept such money, but it would bring trouble.

With rolling thunder, dusk instantly turned to night, and torrential rain began to fall. The ground of the courier station was immediately awash with flowing rainwater.

But amid the downpour came the urgent sound of hoofbeats. A group of soldiers wearing rain cloaks charged into the station.

“Orders to inspect!”

Shouts filled the air, throwing the station into even greater chaos.

Everyone, whether guests or station servants, had their identities verified. Seeing these men with faces as dark as the night and the smell of blood on their armor, everyone in the station held their breath and dared not speak.

The station manager was even more frightened and asked the leader of the group, “May I ask who you are searching for?”

The leader’s expression was indifferent as he glanced at him. Remnants of the Zhao family. Have you seen any suspicious persons?”

Remnants of the Zhao family? The station manager hastily waved his hands and said formally, “The courier station only allows those with official status to stay. I verify each one.”

The officer grunted, his gaze sharp. “That’s good, otherwise you would be considered an accomplice.”

The station manager hurriedly assured him repeatedly that he wouldn’t dare, and stated that if he encountered any suspicious people, he would report them immediately.

A soldier came in and whispered in the leader’s ear. The leader immediately stood up and waved his hand. With the clanking of iron armor, the men galloped away in the heavy rain—

Leaving the people in the station shocked and unsettled.

Hunting down Zhao family remnants? The Zhao family had been executed to the ninth degree of kinship, yet there were still remnants? How frightening.

…

…

In the night, a lone carriage traveled along a mountain road. The rain poured down, washing over the carriage, making those inside feel as if they were in the middle of an ocean.

But the old woman and child who had encountered such circumstances were no longer crying. Instead, they sat quietly and respectfully in the corner of the carriage.

A person was half-reclining in the carriage, dimly lit by a wall lamp. It wasn’t a frail old man, but a young man. His demeanor was elegant, one hand propping up his head, the other lightly tapping on the carriage floor, seeming to play music along with the sound of the rain.

“Young Master, this Station Manager Xu is a greedy man pretending to be virtuous,” the old woman said softly. “I don’t know what got into him, to refuse us—”

“Bei Caozhen courier station,” Xiao Xun murmured the words, his tapping fingers pausing. “I remember now, so it’s this place.”

What about this place? The old woman was confused.

“It’s not surprising,” Xiao Xun didn’t explain to her, but smiled. “This station manager is once bitten, twice shy.”

Years ago, Miss Chu had boarded a postal courier from this very station, then was pursued by Deng Yi. This station manager had been implicated considerably.

From then on, the station manager would no longer dare to show pity to anyone.

He had been forced out of the capital by her.

Who would have thought that on his journey, he would continue to be restricted because of her.

Miss Chu Zhao truly seemed to be the bane of his existence.