Zhang Gu stood indoors, looking at the gentle face of the man opposite him, his nervous heart temporarily settling down.

This was Guard General Chu Ling.

He was in his forties, with a sturdy build, dressed in military general’s attire, radiating courage and martial prowess yet also exuding a refined and scholarly air.

Zhong Changrong walked over, staring fiercely at Zhang Gu.

Zhang Gu’s settled heart rose again, and he lowered his gaze, not daring to look further.

“What did he send you here for?” Zhong Changrong demanded. “Why did he send you? So secretive!”

Chu Ling smiled and said, “Perhaps there’s some new information.”

“There won’t be,” Zhong Changrong said irritably. “I left on my front foot, and he arrived on his back foot. He must have departed right after me.”

Speaking of this, he gnashed his teeth.

“That troublesome brat. Ah Zhao told him to guard the city, but what’s he scheming behind the scenes?”

Had that kid misunderstood something? Pushing his luck? Being presumptuous? If there’s something to say, can’t he tell me? Why does he have to tell the General?

Zhang Gu couldn’t understand and didn’t listen, hurriedly taking out the sealed letter. “This is from A’Fu, Miss Chu, the Empress, to you.”

In his panic, he used three different forms of address at once.

Neither Zhong Changrong nor Chu Ling minded the forms of address. Zhong Changrong stared at the letter and snatched it over.

“That’s impossible,” he said in surprise. “If Ah Zhao wanted to write a letter, why wouldn’t she have me bring it back?”

Is this fake?

Is it poisoned?

Seeing Zhong Changrong holding the letter with a guarded expression, Chu Ling smiled. “That’s Ah Zhao’s handwriting on top. Don’t worry. Perhaps you had just left and Ah Zhao forgot something she wanted to say, so she wrote a letter.”

He extended his hand.

“Give it to me. Since A’Jiu had someone deliver it, there’s certainly nothing wrong with it.”

Who says there’s nothing wrong with A’Jiu? A’Jiu is one of the Xie family’s people. Zhong Changrong wanted to object—

“Since Ah Zhao had him take over your affairs, she naturally trusts him,” Chu Ling said. “I trust Ah Zhao.”

That was true enough. He also trusted Ah Zhao. Zhong Changrong handed over the letter, though that A’Jiu brat seemed somewhat strange no matter how you looked at him.

Chu Ling took the letter and had Zhong Changrong and Zhang Gu withdraw first—one to do his work, the other to rest and wait. After the two withdrew, Chu Ling opened the letter.

“Father, I once had a very long dream. In the dream, my family and I all died miserably—”

……

……

Whether it was the turmoil in the capital or the turmoil in Yunzhong Commandery, neither affected the deep mountain stronghold. However, the night atmosphere in the mountain forests was even quieter than before.

When torches illuminated the mountain forest, the trees instantly swayed, as if casting down a great net that lunged toward the torches.

Where the cold gleaming light passed, branches and leaves were completely severed. One could imagine that if it fell upon a person, they would certainly be torn into pieces.

Standing in the mountain forest, Zhong Changrong showed not the slightest fear, his scarred face grim.

“Don’t try that trick,” he shouted. “Tell Mu Mianhong to get out here.”

The great net stopped above his head. In the dense forest trees, torches lit up, illuminating the people standing there.

This was a man with a thick beard, carrying a wood-chopping knife on his back, his expression fierce. “Zhong Changrong, what are you doing here? We haven’t violated our promise. We haven’t set foot within half a step of your Luocheng.”

Zhong Changrong sneered coldly. “But you set foot in the capital.”

The wood-knife man’s expression stiffened, but he didn’t show weakness. “So what? Except for your Luocheng, we can go anywhere in this world. If you’re capable, let the Guard General exterminate all the bandits under heaven!”

Zhong Changrong shouted, “Do you think we can’t?”

In the dark night, the atmosphere grew tense, ready to explode at any moment.

Several bird calls rang out in the mountain forest. The wood-knife man’s expression showed dissatisfaction, but he waved his hand. The great net covering Zhong Changrong’s head dispersed, and he himself vanished into the mountain forest.

A moment later, someone came gracefully through the forest, white dress like a fallen cloud in the dark night.

“Lord Zhong,” a woman’s voice also lightly descended. “I sent Xiao Man. I know this would displease you, but please understand—a mother worries when her child travels a thousand li.”

The night shrouded her, her features dim, but one could still see her refined and delicate brow and eyes.

Zhong Changrong sneered coldly. “How dare you claim that title—”

The woman lowered her head.

Behind her were followers who wanted to rush forward in anger at that moment, but ultimately didn’t.

Zhong Changrong said nothing more, turning his gaze away as if he didn’t want to look at this woman even once more. He took out a letter and threw it forcefully.

“A letter from your person,” he said.

His strength was great, but the thin letter was light and fluttering. After flying not far, it began to fall. The woman in the forest moved, and a long whip flew out like a snake, coiling around the falling letter and bringing it into her hand.

“There’s more,” Zhong Changrong said. “The General has a few words for you.”

He relayed Chu Ling’s words. After speaking, he said nothing more and turned to stride away rapidly.

The mountain forest returned to quiet. The woman stood motionless until many people emerged from all around.

“Stronghold Leader,” they called softly, their expressions worried.

The woman came back to herself and waved her hand gently. “Everyone return to your positions.” After speaking, she disappeared into the forest in two or three steps.

On the mountain cliff, lamplight glowed in the wooden house. This time, it wasn’t just the woman sitting alone—over a dozen people crowded together, old and young, men and women, all nervously and excitedly surrounding her as she unfolded the letter in her hand.

“What did Xiao Man say?”

“Did Chu Zhao really become Empress?”

“Did Chu Zhao really save the Imperial Eldest Grandson?”

“Did Xiao Man and the others enter the palace?”

Everyone asked questions all at once.

Naturally, they also knew about the turmoil in the capital, and knew it no later than the officials. It was just that Xiao Man hadn’t sent anyone back, so they couldn’t verify it or get more detailed information.

They hadn’t expected that Zhong Changrong would actually deliver Xiao Man’s letter back for him.

“Xiao Man says the situation is also unstable, it was extremely dangerous at the time—” The woman read the letter while softly recounting the contents to everyone, until she reached the latest part. She lifted her head and said with certainty, “Chu Zhao has indeed become Empress.”

Under the lamplight, the woman’s face was revealed. She was fair and beautiful, and though middle-aged, her eyes remained clear, only tinged with melancholy at the depths.

Everyone exclaimed in amazement. “She really became Empress!” “How incredible!” “That’s the Empress—the most formidable noble lady in all the land.”

“This Empress position was won dangerously,” the woman said, lowering her head to read through the letter’s description again. “If they had arrived one step later, Chu Zhao would already be dead right now.”

Xiao Man had written little, as if hastily composed. Everyone listened with lingering interest, surrounding the woman asking this and that, discussing endlessly.

An old woman stepped forward, signaling everyone to disperse. “Our people are in the capital now. Everyone should pay more attention to news from there.”

Everyone responded affirmatively and dispersed. The old woman remained indoors, looking at the woman and asking softly, “A Mian, should we send more people to the capital? Chu Zhao probably needs manpower now too.”

Mu Mianhong shook her head. “No need. Not only is there no need, I’ll write a letter telling Xiao Man that once the capital is stable, they should return.”

The old woman’s expression showed surprise. “But, but why?”

Mu Mianhong was silent for a moment before saying, “With General Chu there, that’s enough. We shouldn’t get too close to her, lest she discover something.”

The old woman understood, feeling both sad and somewhat resentful. “What could she discover? That she still has a mother? Isn’t this—”

“This isn’t a good thing,” Mu Mianhong interrupted her, her delicate face becoming sharp.

The old woman lowered her head and stepped back, respectfully responding, “Yes.”

“This isn’t a good thing,” Mu Mianhong said, no longer looking at her but gazing past her toward the door, as if speaking to herself. “She’ll be Empress from now on. How could she have a mother with such an unacceptable status as mine? Moreover, what I did to her was worse than an animal. How could I deserve the title of mother? General Chu was right—Ah Zhao having a dead mother is her happiness.”

The old woman’s voice choked. “A Mian, this isn’t your fault. You did everything for our stronghold. You, you had no choice—”

Mu Mianhong smiled at her. “This lack of choice has nothing to do with her. Having a mother like me—that’s her misfortune.”

After speaking, she turned to look at the letter on the desk, reaching out to gently stroke the paper.

Without a mother, she could still be brave and clever, intelligent and outstanding, renowned throughout the capital, leaping to become the most honored woman in all the land.

She was doing so well—why add to her troubles?

The old woman looked at her and ultimately said nothing, sighing softly as she withdrew. Only the woman remained in the wooden house, sitting under the lamplight, reading the letter again and again.

……

……

Night swallowed the earth. When morning light leapt forth from the ground again, Prince Zhongshan woke from his dreams with a great sneeze.

He opened his eyes to see a young man half-kneeling by the bed, holding a foxtail grass in his hand, waving it back and forth in front of Prince Zhongshan’s face.

“You little rascal,” Prince Zhongshan laughed and scolded, reaching out to cup the young man’s face. “You show filial piety to your father the moment you return?”

Xiao Xun pressed against Prince Zhongshan’s hands on his face, looking up with a smile. “Father, I haven’t slept in days while away, yet Father slept so soundly. I could only wake you this way.”