The wooden door opened, and the night rushed in. The oil lamp flickered, casting the person sitting by the table as a mere shadow.

This shadow was slender, as if a gust of wind could scatter it away.

The girl who ran in stopped abruptly, making her breathing quieter and lowering her voice: “Auntie, it’s confirmed that Zhong Changrong has gone to the capital. I’ve also inquired in the commandery city. The officials there are cursing General Chu, saying he doesn’t know his place and is going to anger His Majesty by entering the capital again.”

The figure at the table remained silent for a moment: “He hasn’t sent anyone to the capital for many years.”

Her voice was soft and pleasant to hear.

The girl clenched her fists and snorted: “Whether he sends people to the capital or not, others wouldn’t know. Those officials in the commandery city don’t know his true abilities.”

The woman’s shadow laughed lightly: “Xiao Man, I mean that he hasn’t sent Zhong Changrong to the capital for so many years. Zhong Changrong is his right-hand man and doesn’t leave his side easily.”

Xiao Man made an “oh” sound, but she wasn’t particularly pleased, muttering: “It’s been so many years without any contact. Who knows if Zhong Changrong is still his right-hand man?”

The figure under the lamplight fell silent.

Xiao Man immediately panicked, cursing herself inwardly, and hurriedly tried to find something to say: “Then, what is Zhong Changrong doing in the capital?” A thought struck her. “Is he going to fetch Chu Zhao?”

Having said this, her face lit up, proud of her cleverness.

“That’s right, he must be going to fetch Chu Zhao.”

“Auntie, Chu Zhao is coming back.”

The figure under the lamp shook her head: “When A-Zhao left, Zhong Changrong didn’t escort her. Even if he’s just bringing her back, there would be no need to specifically send Zhong Changrong. If Zhong Changrong is going to fetch her, the matter must not be so simple.”

The shadow moved and stood up.

“There must be something else, and this matter must be very urgent. It might even threaten A-Zhao, which is why he sent Zhong Changrong.”

As she spoke, the person paced around the room, stirring up a breeze. The weak oil lamp went out with a puff, and the room was completely swallowed by darkness.

Xiao Man raised her hand and slapped her face. Why did she mention Chu Zhao?

“Auntie, aren’t you overthinking? What could happen?”

“Even back then, nothing happened.”

The shadowy figure in the darkness stopped walking and said softly: “Even back then, he didn’t send Zhong Changrong to the capital to see the Emperor.”

With that, she walked towards the door.

“No, I must go ask him what’s happened.”

But after one foot crossed the threshold, the other foot stopped. In the night, the tall, slender figure stood motionless.

“I said that in this life, I would never set foot in Luo City, never see him again.”

Her voice was a low murmur.

“He kept his word, keeping A-Zhao to raise her. I must also keep mine.”

This keeping of promises had truly caused Auntie much suffering.

Xiao Man didn’t quite understand. For people like them, wasn’t keeping promises just something said casually? She and her siblings made promises seven or eight hundred times a year, and broke them over nine hundred times.

But thinking of the matters between her aunt and that person, she dared not say or ask too much.

Just looking at the silhouette standing in the doorway, even young Xiao Man, who knew nothing of sorrow, could feel the sadness.

“Auntie,” she called out, “let’s go to the capital.”

The rigid figure moved slightly. Go to the capital?

“You said you wouldn’t set foot in Luo City, but you didn’t say anything about not entering the capital.” Xiao Man became increasingly enthusiastic about her idea, her face animated. “Let’s go to the capital too. By keeping an eye on Zhong Changrong, we can find out what he’s doing, and we can also see Chu Zhao.”

See Chu Zhao.

Counting the days, it had only been a little over a year, but it felt like a lifetime.

Go to the capital—

The other foot lifted and crossed the threshold. One step, two steps, three steps, faster and faster, the slender figure like a sharp sword cutting through the night.

The mountain path was rugged, but for her, it was as if she were walking on flat ground.

Xiao Man had to run to keep up.

“Auntie, slow down,” she couldn’t help but call out.

At her words, the running figure stopped.

“Xiao Man,” she said, “I can’t go.”

Why did she have to say “slow down”? Xiao Man slapped herself again. Was it true what Third Brother said, that she was a jinx? Whatever she said would go wrong?

“Auntie,” Xiao Man hurriedly said, “don’t worry about the stronghold. With everyone there, nothing will happen. Those stupid officials only dare to shout but won’t even enter the mountains. If we left, they would run away instead.”

“I’m not worried about the stronghold,” the figure said softly. “I… cannot leave.”

What was she worried about? Could there be something more worth Auntie’s concern than Chu Zhao? Xiao Man was confused.

But the figure said no more, turning around and taking Xiao Man’s hand: “Xiao Man, why don’t you take some people to the capital?”

Xiao Man let out a surprised sound: “Me? I don’t think I can.”

“Xiao Man, Auntie knows, it’s a burden on you.” The woman’s voice was low and full of apology. “You haven’t been out much, and it’s such a long journey.”

Xiao Man waved it off: “Auntie, what are you saying? I’m not afraid of hardship. Besides, how can you say I haven’t been out? I’ve been to all eight cities and twenty-nine strongholds in the commandery. Added together, it’s enough to go to and from the capital twice.”

The woman laughed: “I know, Xiao Man is very capable.”

Xiao Man felt a bit embarrassed, holding the woman’s soft, delicate hand: “Auntie, I’m just saying, wouldn’t it be better if you went yourself?”

The woman shook her head: “No, it wouldn’t be good for me to see her.”

Xiao Man sighed inwardly. What a pity! The person she thought of day and night, yet she couldn’t and dared not see.

“Alright,” she nodded. “Auntie, I’ll take people with me. I’ll handle it, don’t worry.”

The woman gripped her hand and shook it gently: “Though Xiao Man is young, I trust her the most to handle matters. Auntie is very grateful to you. It’s for A-Zhao that Auntie must trouble you. You’re still a child—”

Xiao Man stamped her foot and exclaimed: “Auntie, stop! I’m not upset at all.” She reached out and hugged the woman. “Auntie, you miss A-Zhao, but for the past decade or more, it’s been me who has enjoyed your love. When I was born and cried at night, it was you who held me night after night. When I was little and didn’t like to eat, it was you who fed me mouthful by mouthful. It was you who taught me to ride, taught me martial arts, taught me to read and write, made me new clothes, and helped me dress up. What you’ve given me, A-Zhao has never received.”

Before the woman could speak again, she let go and turned to run away.

“Auntie, just wait. I’ll go see A-Zhao for you.”

In the pitch-black night, on the rugged mountain path, the young girl moved like an agile deer, leaping through the terrain and quickly disappearing.

Bird calls echoed in the dense forest, growing more and more numerous, spreading in waves. Even the vast, majestic mountain seemed to shake.

The night breeze caressed her clothes, and the slender body seemed as if it might be blown away at any moment.

But the woman stood steadily, gazing longingly into the distance beyond the layers of mountain shadows.

“A-Zhao, Mother has let you down,” she said softly. “I abandoned you as a child, and now I must abandon you again. It’s not that Mother isn’t worried about you, but Mother is more worried about him—”

First, he sent his daughter to the capital, and now he had sent his most trusted and reliable brother to the capital. Could it be that he was in trouble?