Even in Yunzhong Prefecture, spring offered spectacular scenery. Hundreds of riders galloped along the main road. Climbing a slope, they saw apricot blossoms in full bloom across the landscape ahead.

Liang Qiang couldn’t help but rein in his horse. Following his action, the soldiers behind him also stopped.

“Military Marquis, what’s the matter?” a soldier asked.

Liang Qiang smiled slightly. “Nothing.” He looked at the apricot blossoms ahead. “I just wanted to appreciate the flowers.”

The soldiers behind him remained silent, neither responding nor questioning with confusion. They didn’t care, didn’t mind, had no interest—Liang Qiang was about to say more, but after looking back at them, he swallowed his words.

“Let’s go,” he said, spurring his horse forward.

The soldiers behind followed, surrounding him.

After passing through the wild apricot valley, they arrived at a city. Liang Qiang told the soldiers to return to camp, but more than a dozen still followed him through the streets. These were his guards, never leaving his side.

Although the war hadn’t ended, Western Liang had not managed to enter Yunzhong Prefecture, and the border residents had grown accustomed to this. The spring market was bustling with activity, with merchants bringing goods from all over.

Soon Liang Qiang’s hands were also full of things—several packages of pastries and lifelike sugar figurines. Passing through streets and turning into small alleys, as soon as he entered one alley, he saw several six or seven-year-old children playing.

“Brother is back!” A little girl was the first to spot him, calling out excitedly as she rushed over.

Liang Qiang picked up the little girl with one arm, calling her “Little Sister.”

The other children looked at this young man in military uniform with both fear and envy, especially at the dozen or so soldiers standing at attention behind him.

“My brother is amazing,” Little Sister Liang boasted proudly. “My brother is a great general.”

Smiling, Liang Qiang put his little sister down and handed her a package of pastries. “Go share these with your friends.”

Little Sister Liang was immediately surrounded by the children, making the alley even more lively than before.

“I am a young lady,” Little Sister Liang called out among them. “I told you I was a young lady. I wasn’t lying.”

Liang Qiang, about to step into the house, paused. When the Liang family fell from grace, his little sister was five years old. The Liang children had been born into luxury, and she retained memories of being a noble young lady. The life of the past two years had left her confused—

To get a share of the pastries, the children surrounding Little Sister Liang happily called out, “Young Lady, Young Lady.”

A young lady was worth a piece of pastry.

Liang Qiang pressed his lips together and stepped into the house. The soldiers behind him didn’t follow inside but dispersed around the perimeter to stand guard.

Since the Liang father and son had received rewards and promotions for their military service, the family had moved out of the labor camp. However, even in the border prefecture, housing was expensive, and the stipends and rewards the father and son received were only enough to exchange for a small house.

“Ah-Qiang is home,” Liang’s mother was in the courtyard washing clothes with two other women.

These two women weren’t servants either. When Second Master Liang left the labor camp, he had brought others out with him, and they were all temporarily housed here.

Seeing Liang Qiang enter, the two women greeted him with smiles that, despite coming from elders, were full of humility and ingratiating warmth.

“Your father is already back,” his mother said. “Go talk with him. When I finish washing these clothes, I’ll make you both a meal.”

Liang Qiang nodded, noticing the chapped cracks and chilblains on his mother’s hands. Although they had left the labor camp, and although the weather had moderated, her hands, constantly washing and scrubbing, would never again be like those of the privileged lady she once was.

A noble lady who initially didn’t know how to wash clothes had learned to do everything after a year in the labor camp.

Should he say something? Take care of yourself? Being able to live with dignity was enough. At least now she was only washing the family’s clothes, not those of an entire labor camp. Liang Qiang withdrew his gaze and turned to go inside.

His father was sitting under a tree in the back courtyard, drinking wine with a few small dishes laid out before him.

“Ah-Qiang is back,” he called out, then asked, “Is everything arranged at the military camp?”

After all, Liang Qiang was the Left Wing Military Marquis. Going to the capital and back would take more than a month at the quickest. So many troops would naturally require some arrangements.

Liang Qiang understood his father’s meaning, but in truth, he had nothing to arrange. So many troops had little to do with him. If anyone was giving instructions, he was the one receiving them.

“This trip to the capital, you must be careful in every way—” Second Master Liang began, wanting to say more, but then stopped.

Although he suspected this summons to the capital was someone’s arrangement behind the scenes, his son had truly risked his life in battle. Going to the capital was the honor he had earned.

If he let his son know that this honor was part of a scheme—

The young man’s spirit would be crushed.

Second Master Liang swallowed his other words and looked at Liang Qiang: “Our Liang family is still guilty in the eyes of the law. In the border army, we’ve earned a place through merit, but in the capital, we’re nothing. Moreover, rising too quickly will attract attention and suppression. You must be cautious, extremely cautious. The Liang family has come to this point with great difficulty. Whether we live or die, we’ve reached a critical moment.”

That he, Liang Qiang, could go to the capital now indeed meant they had reached a critical moment, but it wasn’t the Liang family’s critical moment—it was the person behind them, Liang Qiang thought.

“Father,” he said, but seeing his father’s concerned, expectant, and solemn expression, he stopped the words that had reached his lips.

No matter what the person behind them wanted to accomplish by putting him forward, he had to go. At this point, there was no turning back, or the Liang family would truly be finished.

Liang Qiang swallowed his words and said softly: “Since the Grand Tutor has summoned us to the capital, it means our military achievements bring honor to the court. As long as I am cautious in my words and actions, I will certainly be safe. Don’t worry too much.”

And he was very curious: was the Grand Tutor the person behind them?

Second Master Liang was also curious about the Grand Tutor. Unfortunately, Deng Yi had come from humble origins, and by the time he rose to power, the Liang family had already left the capital. They knew nothing about him.

However, Grand Tutor Deng Yi and the Xie family certainly wouldn’t be on good terms. When the Liang family received their first reward, it was with the Grand Tutor’s help.

It made sense for Deng Yi to support and ally with the Liang family.

“Take this opportunity,” he said. “When you go, try to establish contact with the Grand Tutor.”

Liang Qiang responded affirmatively and raised his wine cup: “The home and the military will burden Father. Father must be careful. Don’t be too eager for achievement. Our current situation is already quite good.”

His son was worried that he would strive too hard and advance too boldly. Second Master Liang laughed bitterly inside. Whether to be cautious or to be ambitious was not something he could control.

“Good, I understand,” he raised his wine cup.

Father and son drained their cups in one gulp.

“In the capital—” his father wanted to give more advice, but finally smiled. “You’re also familiar with it. I won’t say more.”

Saying more would be useless. The Liang family was now not in control of its fate.

Liang Qiang agreed. He had nothing more to say either. Taking his leave, he returned to his room. There were no maids in the house, nor did he have an attendant. This narrow room was now the only place where he could be free and at ease.

There wasn’t much to pack. Liang Qiang lay on the bed, ignoring the open bundle. Going to the capital.

No, he should say, returning to the capital.

He, Liang Qiang, was returning to the capital. After leaving Beijing in a wretched state, he, Liang Qiang, was entering the capital clad in armor, with the title of Military Marquis bestowed by the Grand Tutor!

No matter who was behind this, as long as it allowed him, Liang Qiang, to return gloriously to the world, that person was the deity he worshipped!

At that time, he would be able to see her in the court.

She would sit high in the court, and he would also stand in the court—not as a criminal’s family member, not as a pampered young master, but as a brave new talent from the border army.

Liang Qiang sprang up from the bed like a fish leaping from water, hastily bundling up his belongings—

To the capital!