How Ding Dachui and Aunt Ding would discuss things next, how Xiao Man would go warn and threaten them—Chu Zhao didn’t care about any of it.

She’d done what she should do. She believed in herself, and she believed in Xiao Man.

With these thirty-some people, they could barely set out.

They couldn’t delay any longer. Father had died in battle against Xi Liang—this was her last chance to see him.

Chu Zhao returned to her tent with A’Le. Old Bai was waiting at the entrance and handed over a letter. “Miss, a letter from Lord Xie, Xie Yanfang.”

A’Le made a sound of surprise, somewhat happy. “Third Young Master wrote to Miss! I thought he’d forgotten about Miss.”

Since leaving the capital, whether Deng Yi, Xie Yanfang, or Chu Tang—all those familiar people had disappeared.

A letter from Xie Yanfang? Chu Zhao was also very happy. All along this journey she’d only focused on rushing forward, not knowing any news from behind. She wasn’t worried about court matters—with Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang there, all would be well. It was just that Xiao Yu was still a child after all, and she truly wasn’t at ease.

Chu Zhao took the letter and went inside, sat down and opened it to read. The letter wasn’t long—only half a page. It first discussed court matters after she left, matters concerning Xiao Yu. He was diligently attending court, reading and studying, just with a very bad temper—

“That’s because you’re not there. He’s afraid inside, so he uses his temper to gain a sense of security.”

Next was hearing about the attack, expressing his worry.

“See, he also guessed it was Prince Zhongshan,” Chu Zhao said to A’Le.

A’Le sat beside her, reading along, and nodded at these words. “Then there’s no doubt—it was Prince Zhongshan.”

Xie Yanfang’s letter was very direct, telling her that Prince Zhongshan’s power was greater than the world and the court knew.

Though his teeth had been pulled and claws removed back then, after decades of management he’d still grown into a fierce tiger.

Moreover, the true situation regarding money, people, and private troops—the court had completely lost control and understanding.

Chu Zhao nodded, then pursed her lips in a smile. These words about Prince Zhongshan could actually also describe the Xie family. In that life when the Xie family refused to submit, the fierce tiger came down from the mountain, stirring up Da Xia’s north and south, splitting the land—it hadn’t ended even when she died.

In this life, the one who refused to submit had become Prince Zhongshan. When they fought, the situation would probably be the same as in that life.

“This—why is there nothing after?” A’Le asked, interrupting Chu Zhao’s wandering thoughts.

Chu Zhao looked at the letter. A’Le’s finger was also pointing at the last line.

“I am very worried about you,” A’Le read, then looked at Chu Zhao. “And then?”

The letter stopped abruptly there.

“Did he not finish writing?” A’Le asked, puzzled.

Xie Yanfang must be very busy, so he didn’t finish?

Chu Zhao looked at the letter and smiled again. It wasn’t unfinished. Xie Yanfang’s meaning was that he was very worried about her, but was unwilling to stop her.

She knew that when news of the attack reached the capital, Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang definitely wouldn’t want her to continue forward. Moreover, with the Prince of Xi Liang invading, border warfare erupting, Prince Zhongshan had even more opportunities, and Prince Zhongshan had already targeted her—the journey was truly perilous. Whether considering her own safety or the court’s overall situation, she should turn her horse around now and return to the capital.

From the perspective of the greater good and reason, that was correct. But from human sentiment, Xie Yanfang knew how much she wanted to go to the border commanderies, so he was unwilling to speak up and persuade her.

So he wrote this half letter.

Chu Zhao’s finger fell on this last line, slowly and gently sliding back and forth. What to do? What to do? He could pour out all his worries but couldn’t bring himself to persuade, only because he knew, he understood, he—

“Miss—Xie—” Old Bai’s voice sounded outside.

Before finishing his words, the door curtain was swept aside. Someone stood in the sunlight, bursting in together with it, filling the interior.

Chu Zhao raised one hand to shield her forehead, seeing sunlight dancing on his dust-covered armor, on his fair face, on his flying phoenix eyes and high nose.

“A’Jiu.”

The next moment, she jumped up and rushed over happily.

A’Jiu had come!

……

……

Old Bai didn’t know what to make of this.

He’d clearly been standing at the door, yet the next moment he was flung inside.

The girl rushing over stopped in front of him, as if seeing something hilarious, and laughed loudly.

Indeed, this was the first time along the journey that Miss Chu had laughed so loudly.

Behind him, the young officer was also laughing, cold wind hissing through his teeth and blowing on his neck.

Miss Chu laughed loudly, saying, “A’Jiu, I didn’t expect you to come!”

Captain Xie hissed with laughter, saying, “Miss is too modest. What is there that you don’t know?”

Old Bai thought—he didn’t know anything, like why was he standing here?

Fortunately, Her Majesty the Empress truly knew everything. Seeing his awkwardness and confusion, she smiled. “You go ahead with your work first.”

Old Bai didn’t even have time to say “yes” before turning and going out.

With Old Bai blocking her view now gone, Chu Zhao could see the mockery and pride in Xie Yanlai’s eyes, an expression of “I knew you’d do this, but I’m one step ahead.” She laughed again.

“I just read Third Young Master Xie’s letter,” she said. “And then you arrived.”

Xie Yanlai’s expression remained mocking, but his flying phoenix eyes lowered as he said, “I’m the one he sent to drag you back.” With that, he tossed his head. “Let’s go.”

He strode out with large steps.

Chu Zhao followed behind with a smile, then trotted with small steps around to his front to block his path, her face showing not the slightest annoyance or anxiety. She smiled. “Trying to scare people again.”

……

……

“That person—who is he?”

Not far away, “Aunt Ding” happened to see this scene and asked in some surprise.

Because what had just happened was so sudden and so joyful, she’d been flustered and at a loss, not knowing what to do, wandering randomly around the camp.

When Xiao Man came to find her, her emotions had settled somewhat.

Xiao Man complained to her. “That’s just how Chu Zhao is. She’s so shrewd, who knows what she was pondering or when she set her sights on you all, and then she cornered you, Aunt.”

The woman thought of the scene just now. When that girl walked in, she was like a brilliant lamp—she hadn’t dared look much at all, dazzling and blinding, her mind in chaos. She hadn’t seen whether she was shrewd or not—she’d only heard that every sentence she spoke was so lovely and considerate.

Lovely enough to believe she was Ding Dachui’s wife, considerate enough to let the couple stay together.

The woman laughed softly and murmured, “The General raised her very well.”

A girl raised with love.

“Clearly it’s because Aunt gave birth to her well,” Xiao Man said indignantly. After so many years, Aunt never said a single bad word about that Chu Ling. She asked again, “So what do we do next?”

Just as Chu Zhao said? Follow along with them, no need to avoid and hide anymore?

She’d never dared hope she could appear before her, could speak with her, be looked at by her with smiling eyes—

The woman reached up to press her chest. “This must be heaven’s mercy to me.” She raised her head to look at Xiao Man. “Then I’ll be this Aunt Ding.”

Hearing this title and thinking of the scene then, Ding Dachui’s face had turned white, yet Chu Zhao hadn’t noticed at all. Xiao Man couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

“She’s silly,” she said.

Aunt Ding raised her hand to lightly pat her. “Stop laughing. Aunt Ding isn’t familiar with you—put on a stern face.”

Xiao Man covered her stomach to keep from laughing too hard.

The two were talking and laughing when Aunt Ding suddenly looked in one direction. A group of mounted soldiers was galloping over—such groups were common in the military camp, present in other places at this moment too, but she still stared only at this group.

Dust-covered—they weren’t local.

The other soldiers stopped, and one of them headed straight toward where Chu Zhao was.

This too was very common—courier soldiers delivering messages always delivered them directly to Chu Zhao’s hands.

But this courier soldier—

The woman narrowed her eyes. Young, with extraordinary bearing.

He jumped down from his horse. The soldiers at the entrance showed no obstruction. That Old Bai even welcomed him warmly, and the young courier soldier directly swept aside the door curtain and went in—

Then he walked back out, looking somewhat unhappy, while Chu Zhao smiled behind him, leaping like a young deer to his front, blocking his path—

The woman felt her own heart jump.

She wondered if this young courier soldier’s heart had also jumped several times?