The city gates of towns near the border commandery were tightly closed, with only military horses galloping across the snow-covered wilderness.

“Report—”

“Victory bulletin—”

The messenger raced along, shouting, spreading the good news throughout the city.

“Congratulations, General! Felicitations, General!”

The commandery’s government office had become the headquarters. In the main hall, sand tables were laid out and maps hung. Armored officers stood around, congratulating Chu Wei, who sat in the high seat.

“The frequent victory reports are due to your excellent command, sir.”

Chu Wei neither laughed heartily at these praises nor waved them away modestly. He was never swayed by external praise or insult, only looking at the sand table before him.

“The King of Western Liang cannot be underestimated,” he said. “Since he dares to move troops and violate our borders at this time, he must be fully confident. A few defeats, even a temporary retreat, will not shake his army’s morale.”

He looked toward his officers again.

“So we must not underestimate the enemy, must not slacken, and must not be arrogant.”

The officers bowed their heads and responded in unison.

“However,” Chu Wei smiled slightly, “meritorious service should be rewarded immediately. Besides wine and meat, the most important thing is official titles. Compile the list of those who have achieved merit, send it by express to the imperial court, and request the court to bestow rewards immediately.”

In the past, military achievements sent to the imperial court would take at least half a year for approval, and sometimes there would be no response for one or two years.

Now that Chu Wei said immediate rewards, the officers didn’t doubt him at all. They cheered in unison, celebrating in advance—

Although Chu Wei was still a Guard General, not to mention Guard General Chu Wei’s military achievements from over a decade ago, before the Emperor’s passing, he had arranged a marriage between his daughter and the Crown Prince’s son, which entrusted the empire to his care.

Now his daughter was the Empress, and he was the Imperial Father-in-law. Although he wasn’t presiding over the court, in this Great Xia, what Imperial Father-in-law Chu said counted.

If Imperial Father-in-law Chu wanted to reward military achievements, the court would certainly obey immediately.

With General Chu as the Imperial Father-in-law, the days of these military officers would be better from now on. They would no longer be troubled by those civil officials, and they wouldn’t have to worry about the rear—though currently there was still a bit of concern about the rear.

The situation in Yunzhong Commandery was tense, yet there were no reinforcements from the rear at all, which seemed like they were being left to fight alone.

Earlier, there had been some instability in morale, but now—

“Our army’s morale is high,” an officer smiled. “Not just because of the successive victories, but because the Empress herself has come to support us.”

The Empress had not only come but had also defeated the Western Liang soldiers who had infiltrated the rear, sent victory bulletins, and shaken the entire Great Xia.

At the mention of Chu Zhao, a smile appeared on Chu Wei’s face.

“Where has the Empress reached?” he asked.

An officer quickly replied: “She’s about to enter the commandery city.” He pointed at the sand table to show Chu Wei, “This is the latest news from yesterday.”

Chu Wei looked at the sand table, his body stiffening slightly, then nodded with a smile.

“General, shouldn’t we send troops to welcome the Empress?” another officer asked.

Chu Wei smiled: “Is there any danger in our Yunzhong Commandery anymore?” He leaned back in his chair, “Besides, since the Empress was able to annihilate the scattered Western Liang troops, she naturally doesn’t need troops to escort her.”

The officer smiled: “I’m not questioning the Empress’s bravery, but—” he scratched his head, “doesn’t the Empress usually have a ceremonial escort? Officials and commoners welcoming and kowtowing and such. The Empress has arrived in our Yunzhong Commandery; we can’t appear impoverished.”

Chu Wei laughed heartily.

“An empress who needs a ceremonial escort sits in the imperial palace,” he said, pointing outside. “Now coming to Yunzhong Commandery, riding horses and killing enemies, she is just our Miss Chu.”

“Miss Chu doesn’t need a ceremonial escort.”

“Miss Chu is one of our own.”

Indeed, Miss Chu was Chu Wei’s daughter, the daughter of a military officer, and even after becoming Empress, she could still fight alongside them. This truly made her one of their own. The officers all smiled.

“The Empress is formidable.” “We await the Empress’s arrival.”

To welcome the Empress who came to fight alongside them, the officers became even more energetic and busy. When Zhong Changrong entered the government office, only Chu Wei sat alone in the main hall.

Chu Wei seemed to be deeply contemplating something while looking at the sand table, and didn’t look up even when he heard footsteps.

“General,” Zhong Changrong was familiar with Chu Wei and didn’t care if he was disturbing him, especially since he was about to speak about Chu Zhao. “Aren’t we going to meet A-Zhao?”

Chu Wei made a sound of acknowledgment and smiled: “There’s no need. Back in Yunzhong Commandery, it’s like she’s home.”

“But—” Zhong Changrong was about to say more.

Chu Wei sat up straight and looked at him: “Changrong, A-Zhao has grown up. She’s not a child anymore. She can negotiate with the Emperor and lead troops on horseback. You and I can both rest assured.”

Zhong Changrong said: “It’s not that I’m not at ease, I’m just happy.” He grinned widely, “A-Zhao has returned. Generally, she came to see you.”

While people were fleeing the border commandery, his daughter was rushing to the most dangerous place because her father was there. She missed her father. Even becoming Empress couldn’t stop her from returning. Chu Wei smiled slightly.

“I can still hold on to see her one more time,” he said. “Unfortunately, I can’t see her appearance with my own eyes anymore.”

Zhong Changrong was stunned for a moment. This sounded like—

Chu Wei looked at him, his eyes calm: “Changrong, I’m blind.”

Zhong Changrong felt suffocated in that instant.

……

……

In the vast snowy landscape, a city appeared. Chu Zhao couldn’t help but remove her hood, happily pointing.

“Look,” she said, “that’s the commandery city.”

Xie Yanlai was not far behind her. Hearing this, he didn’t even raise his eyelids: “Your Highness, I’m a postal courier. There’s no place I don’t know.”

That’s right, he had been here before. Chu Zhao smiled: “But you’re not as familiar as I am. I grew up here. I used to come here to play almost every day.” She reined in her horse to wait for Xie Yanlai to approach. Though our commandery city is remote, there are many fun things. After we repel the Western Liang troops, I’ll show you around properly.”

Xie Yanlai chuckled a couple of times, urged his horse forward, and with a wave of his hand, Chu Zhao’s hood was flipped back over her head.

“Miss Chu should focus on what’s in front of her first,” he said as he rode away.

Chu Zhao was both amused and annoyed. She pulled her hood back down. Xie Yanlai had already galloped toward the city gate, where officials and soldiers were coming to welcome them.

Chu Zhao approached, exchanged greetings with the officials, and declined their invitation.

“I won’t enter the city,” she said. “I’ll go directly to where my father is.”

The officials looked at the sky and said: “It will snow tonight. It’s too dangerous for Your Highness to travel through the night. Why not stay overnight and leave tomorrow?”

Chu Zhao looked at the sky and said: “There’s still some time. I’ll reach Luo City by nightfall, which will make tomorrow’s journey faster.”

Although the young girl before them was the Empress, the officials dared not oppose her words and agreed.

“There’s no need to send troops to escort me,” Chu Zhao instructed further. “Don’t disrupt your troop arrangements because of me.”

The officials agreed again, offering prepared hot tea, ginger soup, and boiled beef and mutton for them to rest briefly and replenish their energy for the journey.

Chu Zhao didn’t refuse this time. She let everyone dismount and rest on the spot. She also took the mutton soup handed to her by A-Le.

“A-Jiu and Xiaoman personally verified it,” A-Le said in a low voice. “Everything is safe.”

Chu Zhao smiled without saying they were being overly cautious—after all, she had been poisoned to death in her previous life, and poisoned several times: first causing a miscarriage, then damaging her body, and finally with a fatal cup of poisoned wine.

As the two were holding their mutton soup, Madam Ding approached.

“Madam,” Chu Zhao greeted her warmly. “Come taste our local mutton soup. It’s especially, especially delicious.”

Madam Ding nodded slightly: “Alright.”

Chu Zhao thought of something and pointed to a shed nearby, saying softly: “Madam, go drink over there. You can avoid people.”

Because she had mentioned that her face was injured and she wasn’t convenient to meet people, Chu Zhao paid attention to these details. Madam Ding’s eyes were filled with affection. Ah, what a good girl.

Even spending a moment by her side was enough for this lifetime.

“Your Highness,” Madam Ding lowered her eyes and curtseyed. “My body is not well. I’d like to rest here in the commandery city and won’t go to Luo City.”

……

……

A bowl of hot mutton soup warmed the entire body. Sitting on horseback, Chu Zhao felt that the cold wind was no longer unpleasant but rather refreshing and pleasant.

“This is what they call ‘a liar meets only liars’,” Xie Yanlai passed by, raising his hand to flip her hood back over her head.

Chu Zhao pulled her hood down again and urged her horse to catch up with him.

“Then you’re a liar who sees everyone as liars,” she said. “Can’t Madam Ding rest for a night?”

Xie Yanlai chuckled twice: “She didn’t rest the entire journey, and specifically chose to rest here.” He waved his hand. “Either there’s something ahead she fears, or there’s something here she needs.”

Chu Zhao laughed heartily: “In short, no one in the world can be trusted.”

Xie Yanlai said: “That’s right.” Then he glanced at Chu Zhao and said with a half-smile, “Her Highness the Empress knows this better than anyone.”

This girl might not say it, but who would she truly trust?

Chu Zhao raised an eyebrow at him with a smile: “Yes, yes, but I see through it without saying it. You’re good, I’m good, everyone’s good.”

Xie Yanlai spat and turned his gaze back to the front.

Chu Zhao looked back at the commandery city gate and saw that Dachui, who had been reluctant to part with Madam Ding, was now following with his men.

“Whatever her reason, her men still follow us,” she said. “It doesn’t affect our journey. Everyone has secrets. I just take what I need, and that’s enough.”

“You’re certainly content with what you have,” Xie Yanlai said. “But don’t forget, the world is unpredictable and won’t always go as you wish.”

Chu Zhao nodded: “Then I’ll do my best and leave the rest to fate.”

With that, she cracked her whip.

“Xie Yanlai, if we compete in horsemanship, I won’t necessarily lose to you.”

The girl galloped away, her hood and cloak flying. Xie Yanlai pursed his lips from behind. Earlier, when he was A-Jiu and she was A-Fu traveling together, the postal couriers had joked, asking A-Fu and A-Jiu to compete in horsemanship. At that time, he wouldn’t have competed with her, and she, pretending to be honest, wouldn’t have competed with him.

Now there was no need to pretend to be honest, and they could show their true skills.

With true skills, could he not beat her? Joking aside, Xie Yanlai cracked his whip in the air, and his horse shot past the girl like an arrow. This time he didn’t almost knock the girl off her horse, but curses still rang out—

“Xie Yanlai! Why are you competing with me, a girl? Will you die if you lose to me?”

Watching the young man and woman gallop away one after another until they became mere black dots, Madam Ding at the city gate was reluctant to withdraw her gaze.

“Madam,” the city guards at the gate called to her, “please enter the city soon. The city gates will close at dusk.”

Madam Ding thanked them but still gazed into the distance once more, only entering the city at the last moment before the gates closed at dusk.

Though not as before, life inside the city was orderly, without chaos.

Madam Ding walked slowly through the city, seemingly looking for an inn.

Earlier, Chu Zhao had wanted to entrust her to the local officials, but Madam Ding had declined, and Chu Zhao hadn’t insisted.

“That’s right, you’re not familiar with the officials either, and it might be constraining,” she had smiled, stuffing a bag of money into her hands. “Take this money and rent a place to live more comfortably.”

Thinking of this, Madam Ding’s eyes were once again filled with affection. She placed her hand on her waist, not on the money bag, but on A-Zhao’s abundant love.

Although this love wasn’t because of a mother-daughter relationship, she wasn’t sad at all.

A bird’s call passed by her ears. Madam Ding’s expression remained unchanged, and she didn’t look around. She walked straight ahead, through streets and small alleys, coming to a residence and pushing the door open directly.

A joyful shout came from the courtyard: “The leader has returned!”

Standing under the lamp in the courtyard, Madam Ding removed the scarf covering her face, revealing her fair complexion.

“Hongr,” an elderly woman examined her, smiling. “After so many years, this is the first time I’ve seen you smile so happily.”

Mu Mian Hong touched her face: “Is that so?” She didn’t even know she was smiling. “I’m happy.”

Everyone welcomed her into the house. The spacious hall was lit with braziers, and a large chair covered in tiger skin was placed in the center. Mu Mian Hong walked straight to it and sat down.

Once she was seated, everyone in the room stood at attention and saluted with clasped hands.

Mu Mian Hong raised her hand slightly: “All of you, please sit.”

According to seniority, ten people sat on chairs on both sides, with the rest standing on either side.

“How is the war situation in Yunzhong Commandery?” Mu Mian Hong asked.

A tall, thin man said: “Currently, there’s no defeat, but that’s because Western Liang has never launched a major offensive.”

Mu Mian Hong asked: “Wasn’t it said that the King of Western Liang had personally come?”

Another woman said softly: “We’ve also had people investigate. The Western Liang King’s royal tent is indeed there, but no one has seen the Western Liang King.”

“Perhaps he never came, and it’s just a show of force.” “The Western Liang soldiers at the rear probably entered as merchants long ago.” “I guess they’re spies who have infiltrated for a long time, with connections to local officials, prominent families, and powerful people.” “Originally they wanted to take advantage of the chaos, but Miss A-Zhao annihilated them with one stroke.”

When she heard this, a smile appeared on Mu Mian Hong’s face again.

Seeing Mu Mian Hong’s smile, everyone in the hall smiled as well.

“Although we didn’t personally witness Miss A-Zhao’s bravery, the news has spread everywhere,” everyone said.

“Leader, why didn’t you continue to follow the young miss?” someone asked.

Mu Mian Hong’s smile faded slightly, and she said: “Luo City, I promised not to go.”

The atmosphere in the hall also faltered slightly, mixed with snorts and low murmurs of “why fear him.”

Mu Mian Hong didn’t want to continue this topic and stopped everyone.

“It’s not just Luo City. As we get closer to General Chu, with his many old subordinates, it’s not convenient for me to appear by A-Zhao’s side,” she said, but there was no sadness on her face. Being able to follow A-Zhao this far already made her content, and she could still watch over her going forward.

“We’ll continue to follow her with hidden identities.”

“And with hidden identities, it’s more convenient for us to mobilize our people.”

“The further northwest we go, the more dangerous it becomes.”

Mu Mian Hong looked past everyone in the hall toward the night outside the door. Under the light of lanterns, sparse snowflakes danced—it was indeed snowing.

But Mu Mian Hong didn’t wait long. Before dawn, she was awakened by a knock on the door.

“Leader, Miss A-Zhao and her group didn’t enter Luo City,” the messenger said urgently. “General Chu doesn’t seem to be well.”

Having not slept all night and sitting by the bed, Mu Mian Hong rose abruptly, staggering and almost falling to the ground. Fortunately, she managed to support herself by grabbing the table.

“Leader!” the messenger called out in alarm.

Mu Mian Hong couldn’t hear what he was saying anymore. Leaning on the table, her ears ringing, she realized that something had been wrong all along, but she had been too joyful to think about it.

Would A-Zhao rush to the border commandery regardless of danger and status just because of scattered Western Liang troops in the rear?

Would Chu Wei send his daughter, whom he had protected for more than a decade, to the capital just to find her a good family?

Something was indeed wrong with Chu Wei.

……

……

By the time it was fully dawn, the snowstorm had lessened considerably. Leaning in Xie Yanlai’s embrace, Chu Zhao could see the road ahead clearly.

But before long, her vision blurred again. She couldn’t help but reach out to wipe her eyes.

“Don’t move around,” Xie Yanlai’s voice came from above her head. After a night of traveling through the snowstorm, his voice had grown hoarse.

Chu Zhao didn’t move again, leaning tightly against him, allowing the mist to blur her eyes, hearing only the sound of the wind and Xie Yanlai’s heartbeat.

Yesterday, upon receiving the news near Luo City, she had raced off with the messenger without a second thought. Xie Yanlai had arranged for the others and followed with three horses.

In the snowy night, her riding skills were insufficient for the journey, so Xie Yanlai rode with her. Traveling without rest all night, changing horses three times, they were finally getting closer to her father’s location.

Chu Zhao became even more afraid.

“A-Jiu,” she leaned against Xie Yanlai, saying, “What if I still can’t see my father this time?”

This time? Compared to the last time when he stopped her? Xie Yanlai urged the horse with one hand while holding the girl tight with the other, shouting: “Chu Zhao, you won’t always have bad luck!”