Who was that person?

Smiling Xiao Man heard the question, followed the woman’s gaze, and saw him at once. “Oh,” she uttered.

“Him?” she said. “That’s A-Jiu.”

A-Jiu? That must be a childhood name. Even Xiao Man knew it, clearly indicating he was someone very familiar to Chu Zhao. A guard? Impossible, Chu Zhao wouldn’t behave that way in front of a guard—

The woman narrowed her eyes, pondering.

“He’s not a guard, nor a courier. He’s a young master of the Xie family, the Emperor’s maternal uncle,” Xiao Man continued, sharing everything she knew. Then she snorted, “He’s on the same side as that Zhong fellow, part of the so-called Dragon Might Army. That Zhong fellow reports to him.”

The Xie family, the Emperor’s uncle—this was a young master from a prominent family. The woman was surprised. And he could take over from Zhong Changrong, which meant the General must know him, be acquainted with him, and approve of him.

Since the General approved of him, he must be very good. A smile appeared at the corners of the woman’s mouth.

“This person is very fierce,” Xiao Man said with a pout. “He often argues with Chu Zhao and doesn’t listen to her.”

Is that so? Very fierce? Doesn’t listen to Chu Zhao? The woman gazed with a smile at the young man and woman standing in the distance.

……

……

The young man looked annoyed.

What did that “again” mean? Don’t try to act like she knows him inside out.

Xie Yanlai gave a cold smile, but his downcast phoenix eyes flew up to look at the girl blocking his path.

“Back by the river, when I discovered your identity and wanted to kill you, I indeed tried,” he said. “When you pleaded repeatedly to see your father, I said it was none of my concern and ignored you—and I truly did ignore you. Which of these actions did I, Xie Yanlai, not follow through on?”

Chu Zhao nodded: “Yes, yes, you’re right about everything.”

This was far too perfunctory. Before Xie Yanlai could speak, Chu Zhao stepped forward and interrupted him.

“How many people did you bring?” she asked, lowering her voice. “If we truly encounter an ambush from the Prince of Zhongshan, do we stand a chance?”

How could she be so certain he wasn’t here to take her back? Xie Yanlai felt a breath caught in his chest. What made her so confident?

“I’ve been delayed here for a long time,” the girl looked at him, her eyes reddening. “The latest news is that Western Liang has increased their troops again. The entire Yunzhong Commandery has become a battlefield. I don’t know how my father is doing.”

“Xiao Man helped find some manpower, about thirty people, but they can only make a show of force—their fighting power isn’t great.”

“Just now, the garrison troops here told me they can’t dispatch men to escort me. The court has ordered them to remain at their posts.”

“I was just wondering what to do next.”

As she said this, her reddened eyes sparkled.

“And then A-Jiu, you arrived!”

“A-Jiu, it’s so wonderful that you’ve come.”

Wonderful, my foot, Xie Yanlai turned his head and expelled a breath: “As long as the Prince of Zhongshan doesn’t dare to rebel openly, he’s not a threat.”

The girl before him broke into a smile and stepped forward again—

Xie Yanlai extended his hand, a single finger pressing against the girl’s shoulder, like pinning down a cat, fixing her in place.

“Stay away from me,” he said flatly. “Being ambiguous with the Empress is far more serious than with Miss Chu.”

Chu Zhao laughed, bending over: “I just wanted to thank you.”

Xie Yanlai said, “Even for thanks, stand further away.”

Chu Zhao smiled and bowed deeply to him: “Thank you, Ninth Young Master.”

……

……

Once again, troops gathered in the military camp, but this time finally for their departure.

Chu Zhao, mounted on horseback, looked all around. On the outermost perimeter were the armored soldiers Xie Yanlai had brought. The next layer consisted of Xiao Man with the enthusiastic “hunters.” Old Bai and the surviving Dragon Might Army soldiers formed Chu Zhao’s final defense.

“I’m actually—” A-Le heard her mistress’s soliloquy and hurriedly raised the bow in her hand in protest.

Chu Zhao looked at her and smiled: “A-Le isn’t the final defense. A-Le and I are one entity.”

A-Le also smiled and nodded. That’s right, she and her mistress would live and die together. She looked ahead at the young officer at the front—

In the early winter sunlight, the young man was tall and slender like a pine, with a crimson cloak covering his armor, forming a stark contrast with his cold face, cold as a snow-capped mountain, yet hot as flames—

“Young Miss,” A-Le moved closer to Chu Zhao and whispered, “You’re amazing, able to persuade him to help us with just a few words.”

Then she recalled the past and sighed with emotion.

“Being the Empress truly does result in different treatment than being Miss Chu.”

Back then, she and her mistress had schemed to use those courier soldiers to reach the border counties. He had been wary, exposed them, and even when her mistress had shed tears before him, he remained coldly indifferent.

Chu Zhao said: “That’s not it. In A-Jiu’s eyes, the Empress and Miss Chu are the same.” She also looked toward Xie Yanlai ahead and smiled. “And it wasn’t me who persuaded him.”

As soon as her gaze fell on him, the young officer immediately sensed it and frowned back at her.

Chu Zhao smiled brightly.

The young officer lifted his chin haughtily.

“He came to help me of his own accord,” Chu Zhao continued telling A-Le.

What? He came to help of his own accord? A-Le was surprised. How could that be? Why would A-Jiu come to help? And Third Young Master Xie had written a letter first, then he came. Didn’t he say that Third Young Master Xie had sent him to take her back?

“Don’t listen to what he says,” Chu Zhao smiled. “Just watch what he does.”

A-Le made a sound of understanding. If the mistress said so, then so be it. Regardless of the reason, as long as her mistress got her way, all was well.

There was a sharp crack of a whip.

“Move out!” Xie Yanlai lowered his proud chin, whip snapping in the air, accompanied by a shout as he galloped ahead.

Behind him, everyone shouted in unison and began to move.

Chu Zhao was among them, shouting chaotically with A-Le.

“Move out—”

Going home.

Going to see Father.

Going to do what she couldn’t do in that lifetime.

Dust flew on the main road as armored soldiers galloped, not slowing down even when encountering carriages and people.

“Urgent imperial army march!” the leading soldier shouted. “Make way quickly! Those who block the road will die!”

The troops galloped on.

No distinction between main roads and small paths, no difference between border counties and inland.

With war at the border counties, all of Great Xia was tense. Outside Zhongshan Commandery, there were also increasing numbers of troops. However, being in Zhongshan Commandery, the sensitive populace had some speculations.

“What are all these troops doing in Zhongshan Commandery?”

“Could it be they’re going to attack the Prince of Zhongshan—”

“They say the Emperor is dissatisfied that the Prince of Zhongshan didn’t go to pay respects.”

“How could the Prince go to pay respects? He’s nearly gone blind from crying over the late Emperor’s death.”

“People from the Prince of Zhongshan’s residence are constantly searching for physicians—”

“This is going too far. No matter what, the Prince of Zhongshan is His Majesty’s only elder relative.”

These discussions made the populace somewhat tense, and they looked at the troops with suspicious eyes. Some local scholars even went to ask the soldiers what they were doing here.

However, the government troops didn’t arrest these bold scholars, only saying that military affairs were not to be pried into.

Although they said it wasn’t to be pried into, soon other scholars figured it out themselves.

“This is strategic positioning,” a scholar in a roadside tea pavilion said, dipping his finger in tea and drawing curved lines on the table. “Zhongshan Commandery is the capital’s most important defense line. Stationing troops here is most appropriate. Retreating, they can defend the capital; advancing, they can support Yunzhong Commandery.”

People gathered around, listening with partial understanding and half-belief.

Was Zhongshan Commandery truly an important military position? Why in the past—

“What about the past?” The scholar stroked his beard with his tea-soaked finger, his gaze distant. “Why do you think Emperor Jingtai enfeoffed the Prince of Zhongshan in Zhongshan Commandery all those years ago? Emperor Jingtai struggled with having children, and in the end, only the late Emperor and the Prince of Zhongshan remained. At that time, Western Liang was ferocious, ravaging the border counties, almost invading the Central Plains. To stabilize Great Xia, Emperor Jingtai selected Zhongshan Commandery, this critical location, for the Prince of Zhongshan to garrison—forging a solid defense for times of crisis—”

So that’s how it was! The surrounding people had sudden realizations. Emperor Jingtai truly had great foresight.

Hearing this, Xiao Xun pressed his rain hat lower, but it still couldn’t hide the smile at the corners of his mouth.

“How nice it is when people are dead. Now even Grandfather Emperor can be called far-sighted,” he said softly. “It would be more accurate to say Grandmother Empress was far-sighted.”

After saying this, Xiao Xun’s smile deepened, not feeling that this was a mockery of his elders at all.

Grandmother Empress could personally harm royal children. Grandfather Emperor knew but remained silent, neither punishing Grandmother Empress nor comforting Father King, instead banishing Father King to Zhongshan Commandery to fend for himself.

Elders who are unjust to their descendants don’t deserve to be Xiao Xun’s elders.