For the common people, the Empress was both strange and not strange.

The court’s proclamations had already spread far and wide. Everyone knew the Late Emperor had passed away, the new Emperor had ascended the throne, and there was a new Empress.

This Empress was the daughter of Guardian General Chu Ling.

However, they had no specific thoughts about it—she was just the Emperor’s wife in the distant Imperial City.

At this moment, the city’s people who had narrowly escaped death all surged out, watching the troops and horses entering through the city gate, watching the woman riding at the forefront—she appeared to be only fourteen or fifteen years old. She carried a crossbow on her back, a blade hung from her horse, her robes were simple and covered in bloodstains.

She was General Chu’s daughter—the tiger’s cub was no dog.

She was Da Xia’s new Empress, but she wasn’t distant or high above.

General Chu guarded the border commandery at Yunzhong, blocking the Xi Liang army. His daughter came from the distant Imperial City to this place and killed the Xi Liang scattered soldiers.

They had thought they’d been abandoned, never expecting the Empress herself would come to rescue them.

“Empress!”

“The Empress is mighty!”

“We kowtow in gratitude for the Empress’s life-saving grace!”

Countless voices swept across the city like snowflakes, overwhelming everything.

Walking in the formation, Ding Dachui’s legs went weak. Fortunately, someone beside him promptly supported him.

Ding Dachui turned to see it was his “wife.”

Aunt Ding’s face was still covered. The dancing snowflakes made her features even more blurred.

“You, you,” Ding Dachui couldn’t help but say in a low voice. “Did you guess that she, she—”

This girl was actually the Empress.

The Empress!

When charging at the Xi Liang soldiers earlier, his legs hadn’t weakened in the slightest. But hearing the overwhelming shouts of “Empress,” he really wanted to kneel.

This girl had said her family was vast and prosperous. He’d guessed that was true, but no matter how much he guessed, he couldn’t have guessed the family was vast and prosperous to this extent!

What should he do now?

Could this big fish still be caught?

Hmm—

Ding Dachui straightened his body again, looking at the woman supporting his arm. If he immediately pressed this woman to the ground and exposed her identity and malicious intent, wouldn’t that count as atoning for crimes through meritorious service before the Empress?

……

……

After entering the city, Xie Yanlai led troops to eliminate nearby Xi Liang scattered soldiers, while Chu Zhao went with officials to comfort the wounded civilians. Fortunately, the city hadn’t fallen, so casualties weren’t too severe.

Chu Zhao personally dressed and bandaged the wounds of the injured.

The girl rolled up her sleeves, showing no fear whatsoever of wounds with exposed flesh and blood. The injured, upon learning her identity, couldn’t even feel their pain and thanked her in trepidation.

It wasn’t until dusk fell that Chu Zhao returned to the government office. She had just washed and changed when Xie Yanlai arrived, covered in thick snow.

“Have you eaten? Have your wounds been bandaged?” Chu Zhao asked in rapid succession.

Xie Yanlai glanced at her, refusing to answer these useless questions. He only said, “The surrounding area has been cleared. About a hundred Xi Liang soldiers in total.” He scoffed again. “Truly laughable—a mere hundred able to wreak havoc for so long.”

Chu Zhao sighed softly. “After all, they haven’t experienced war in a long time and were caught off guard.” She raised her head to ask, “Your wounds—”

“Haven’t eaten, wounds are treated,” Xie Yanlai impatiently interrupted her, then asked, “Is there anything else? If not, this officer takes his leave.”

As he spoke, he turned to leave.

Chu Zhao reached out to grab his sleeve. “There is, there is, there is.”

Xie Yanlai looked at her sideways and didn’t take another step.

“Why didn’t you say earlier that we were reinforcements sent by my father?” Chu Zhao asked with a smile.

At that time, she hadn’t yet approached, but Xie Yanlai had already called out her identity to the city’s officials and officers.

She had concealed her identity all along the journey. Even when she was hesitant and couldn’t proceed, she hadn’t told the local garrison. Yet now when things were going smoothly, he revealed her identity?

“I’m not blaming you,” Chu Zhao added. “I’m saying that way would have enhanced my father’s reputation more.”

Xie Yanlai scoffed. “Do I fear your blame?” He looked down at the girl from his superior height and said coldly, “Your father is your father, you are you. Although you’re father and daughter, you’re not one entity. Moreover, your father is about to die. Once dead, reputation is gone. You’re still alive and must continue living. Compared to your father, you need reputation more.”

With that, he shook his sleeve free from Chu Zhao’s hand and strode out.

Chu Zhao watched the swaying door curtain, stunned and dazed.

She had always thought herself unfortunate. Even after awakening to live again, she’d been holding her breath. Until this very moment, that breath gently released.

She was fortunate. In this life, she could meet someone who thought of her welfare.

She raised her head and called out, “Someone come.”

Old Bai responded and entered, bowing to await orders.

Chu Zhao said, “Transmit the order. Issue a victory bulletin reporting the Empress’s great victory in eliminating Xi Liang soldiers at Wang City.”

……

……

After leaving Chu Zhao, Xie Yanlai didn’t return to eat but came to another house.

The troops were all stationed at the city gate—first for vigilance, second to avoid disturbing civilians, since this place had just experienced a siege.

Only the female family members had moved in with Chu Zhao.

As Xie Yanlai approached, bird calls sounded from the eaves, as if startled birds were flying past—

Xie Yanlai didn’t even raise his head. He lifted his hand and pushed open the door with a bang. He charged in wrapped in cold air. The man and woman inside jumped in fright.

Ding Dachui sat in a chair, his eyes wide and body stiff, seemingly forgetting to stand.

But that woman—Aunt Ding, after recovering from her fright, quickly bowed. “Officer Xie.”

Xie Yanlai looked at them both and said flatly, “Uncle, Auntie, don’t blame me for entering uninvited.”

Ding Dachui’s body remained stiff as he stammered, “—What?”

Aunt Ding’s face was still covered, but from her eyes one could sense she was smiling. Taking over her husband’s words, she said, “Officer Xie is wel—”

Before she could finish “welcome,” Xie Yanlai had already spoken again.

“—Because you, Aunt Ding, already received warning that I was coming, so I needn’t ask permission again.” He said.

The tall, thin young man with a defiant expression hooked his long leg to pull a chair over, sat down boldly, and looked at them both coldly.

When Xie Yanlai first arrived, he’d met with Ding Dachui and the others one by one, staring at each person—even Aunt Ding wasn’t spared. He’d even rudely asked why she covered her face.

Aunt Ding had said she’d been injured and her face was scarred—she feared frightening people and felt ashamed.

Xie Yanlai had laughed at the time. “Auntie fears frightening whom? Frightening these people around you? Then they don’t deserve to be your companions. As for frightening other people—isn’t that just perfect?”

When he said this, Chu Zhao had poked him several times from behind. Seeing he ignored her poking, she simply said there were other matters and pulled him away.

After that, Xie Yanlai hadn’t pressed the face-covering issue again, nor had he continued staring at these supposedly kindhearted hunters. He deployed them tactically and ordered them about just like the soldiers beside him.

Until today, sitting here, looking at these two people.

“Why is Uncle Ding here?” Xie Yanlai asked. “Don’t you two know about avoiding suspicion? Along the journey, you’ve been more like strangers than actual strangers.”

“My husband twisted his arm,” Aunt Ding said. “I was worried and called him over to take a look.”

She glanced at Xie Yanlai as she spoke.

“The way husband and wife get along lies in the heart, not appearances. Though we may look like strangers, we’re actually thinking of each other.”

Why tell him these things? Who cared how they got along as a couple? Xie Yanlai scoffed and raised his eyebrows. “Why did you twist your arm? When charging and killing enemies earlier, I didn’t see you get injured, Ding Dachui.”

Though his words were directed at Ding Dachui, his gaze was on Aunt Ding, the corners of his mouth in an ambiguous smile.

Aunt Ding lowered her gaze and poked Ding Dachui with her hand. “You say it. What’s there to be embarrassed about?”

After being poked, Ding Dachui, body still stiff, said, “Because I was frightened, so I didn’t stand steady. I fell and it dislocated.”

After he finished, Aunt Ding continued, “We truly never imagined the young miss had such an extraordinary status—”

Xie Yanlai laughed. “Auntie, don’t be so modest. What didn’t you imagine? If you hadn’t imagined it, would you have been persuaded by a young girl to risk your lives for her?”

Aunt Ding’s eyes seemed to hold laughter. She reached out again to poke Ding Dachui beside her. “Husband—”

“Enough, Auntie, stop pretending,” Xie Yanlai interrupted her. “You’re the one in charge. This Uncle Ding isn’t your husband—or rather, he is, but just a puppet.”

That’s right, he was a puppet, one that could be beaten at will. Finally someone saw through it! Tears nearly fell from the corners of Ding Dachui’s eyes. This woman was the real bandit chief! He really wanted to shout it out, but—thinking about how just now, merely having a slight thought and slight movement, this woman had nearly torn him apart—

This Officer Xie before him might fight evenly with this woman, but before they fought evenly, this woman could easily deal with him.

Ding Dachui remained stiff, continuing to play the puppet.

Aunt Ding kept her head lowered, the smile in her eyes no longer concealable. Then she raised her head, looking at the young officer.

“Yes,” she said. “I am indeed in charge. We also guessed the young miss had an extraordinary status. But Officer, no matter how much we guessed, we couldn’t guess the young miss would be a dragon or phoenix among humans. This scene truly frightened us.”

Frightened? Xie Yanlai looked at this woman’s eyes—he couldn’t see the slightest fright, only joy—

“Feel like you’ve struck it rich?” he said flatly.

Aunt Ding said, “Yes, we’ve had great fortune.” This time, without waiting for the young officer to interrogate, she spoke proactively. “People of our status originally only sought wealth. Now encountering such an opportunity, we want to seek good fortune as well.”

Xie Yanlai looked at her. Since this woman admitted she was in charge, though still soft-spoken, her bearing had changed.

“When you have desires, you must know what should and shouldn’t be done,” he said flatly.

Aunt Ding didn’t answer. Her eyes held a smile as she asked in return, “Officer, along the journey you should have personally witnessed our sincere desire for wealth, right? That’s why we can still sit here today.”

Xie Yanlai looked at this woman, showing neither pleasure nor anger.

Aunt Ding showed no fear either. She bowed solemnly. “Officer, we have a notorious reputation and live ignobly. Being able to serve the Empress is a great blessing fallen from heaven. Please, Officer Xie, continue to observe our sincere desire for good fortune.”

“The one in charge is indeed extraordinary,” Xie Yanlai stood up, looking at this woman and saying ominously, “Since you know I’m watching, then don’t blame me when I find something displeasing and cut off your heads—”

As he said this, footsteps sounded outside the door.

“A’Jiu—” a female voice called.

The cold expression on Xie Yanlai’s face immediately showed impatience. He didn’t respond.

The girl had already pushed the door open, her eyes bright with a smile.

“You’re really here,” she said, beckoning to him. “I was just looking for you.”

Xie Yanlai said coldly, “This officer isn’t your attendant. If Your Majesty has orders, go find Old Bai.”

Chu Zhao completely ignored his cold face and grabbed his sleeve. “It’s urgent, extremely important. I can’t do it without you. Come with me quickly.” She turned to leave.

Afraid his sleeve would be torn, Xie Yanlai could only follow. “Chu Zhao! Mind your status.”

Chu Zhao turned back with a smile. “My status is high and mighty—who can do anything to me?”

Xie Yanlai laughed. “Impressive, Miss A’Zhao. Not like when you were hesitant about leaving the Imperial City.”

Chu Zhao also smiled. “Alright, stop talking nonsense.” She glanced back at the house and saw Aunt Ding standing at the door watching them off. She smiled at her, then withdrew her gaze to look at Xie Yanlai. “Why did you come frighten them again?”

Xie Yanlai raised his chin to look at her. “Did you think that by playing dumb, they’d really believe you were playing dumb?” He sneered again. “Using people without investigating them thoroughly?”

Chu Zhao knew that as soon as Xie Yanlai arrived, he’d latched onto Ding Dachui and these bandits like a cat, his eyes looking them over until the bandits were nearly beside themselves. Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but laugh.

“Some things are better left unsaid,” she said. “I know they know, they know I know—isn’t that enough?”

At this point, she huffed.

“Back then, you insisted on making me spell everything out, causing me to walk this path again today.”

Xie Yanlai’s eyes narrowed. “I’m someone who fears death. I must expose all dangers. If Miss Chu isn’t afraid, feel free.” With that, he shook his sleeve and strode forward.

“Why are you angry?” Chu Zhao laughed, catching up. “I’m not blaming you. I’m not that petty about past matters. Don’t you be so petty either—”

The two walked one after the other, growing more distant, their words becoming inaudible. But Aunt Ding still stood at the door watching, the smile in her eyes overflowing.

“This Officer Xie isn’t bad,” she nodded.

Behind her, Ding Dachui couldn’t help but say, “He’s too fierce. How is he not bad?”

Fierce to them, fierce to that young miss too.

“He’s fierce to us because he worries about that young miss and wants to protect her completely,” Aunt Ding said with a smile.

That’s why that young miss wasn’t afraid of him at all.

Aunt Ding looked into the distance. The girl swayed unsteadily beside the young officer, chatting and laughing. The young officer kept his shoulders and back straight, striding forward, ignoring her. But his hands clasped behind his back, his little fingers swinging back and forth.