A strong wind blew, causing the white mourning banners hung throughout the Zhongshan Prince’s mansion to flutter like snow.

The coffins of the dozen or so people who had assassinated Xiao Xun were all placed here.

Xie Yanfang stepped over the threshold, then turned back to look at Chu Zhao: “You don’t need to accompany me to see him, do you?”

“Are you worried I’ll be sad?” Chu Zhao said, smiling and shaking her head. “I won’t be. I’ve already bid farewell to my father. Loss is something I can accept.”

As she spoke, she took the lead in walking inside.

Xie Yanfang said nothing more and followed her in. They came to stand before Xie Yanlai’s coffin. The coffin was open, and despite the cold weather and the various preservatives used, the corpse inside and its odor were terrifying.

Xie Yanfang’s expression remained calm as he carefully examined the body. He accepted various items handed to him by servants: clothes, shoes, socks, decorative items, and food.

“These were all gathered by his maidservants,” Xie Yanfang said to Chu Zhao. “All the things Yanlai liked to wear, use, and eat.”

Chu Zhao replied: “He had few preferences in the army. What he ate, used, and wore were the same as everyone else.”

Xie Yanfang said: “In the army, he wasn’t the Ninth Young Master of the Xie family.”

The Ninth Young Master of the Xie family didn’t have many preferences either, so everything was arranged quickly.

“The others have already been cremated to ashes,” Chu Zhao said softly. “Yanlai was waiting for you to see him personally.”

Xie Yanfang looked once more at the corpse in the coffin and said: “In my memory, he’s still that small child who had just entered our household. The Xie family had many children, and they all looked the same to me. Now he’s finally become different, but unfortunately, I can no longer see him.”

Chu Zhao also looked at the coffin and said: “Actually, when I first knew him, he wasn’t a young master of the Xie family. So now when I think about it, I feel somewhat confused. The one I knew, the one I lost—was it Xie Yanlai, or was it that courier I encountered on the road?”

Xie Yanfang turned to look at her, observing the wistfulness and confusion in the girl’s eyes, and said softly: “No matter who he was, he died for a worthy cause.”

Chu Zhao nodded and signaled to the soldiers standing nearby: “Seal the coffin.”

……

……

As night fell, after collecting Xie Yanlai’s ashes, Xie Yanfang returned to his quarters. Steward Cai had already prepared the room, with incense burning and bedding laid out. Servants stood ready with copper basins and towels.

Xie Yanfang took the towel handed to him by a servant while Steward Cai removed his cloak.

“Does the Young Master wish to bathe and change now?” the servants inquired.

Xie Yanfang nodded: “The Empress has prepared a dinner banquet. I’ll be going over shortly.”

The servants hurried to make preparations.

“Young Master,” Steward Cai asked, “Are you certain the corpse was Xie Yanlai?”

Du Qi, who had followed them in, snorted: “Burned to that state, what could you tell?”

Steward Cai glared at him: “Of course you can’t tell from looking at the corpse. What you need to observe is the reactions of those around.”

Du Qi frowned and crossed his arms: “The Empress? She didn’t cry or wail. She didn’t seem sad at all.”

“If the Empress had wailed and cried loudly, that would have been strange,” Xie Yanfang said with a smile.

Steward Cai frowned slightly: “The Empress and Xie Yanlai have always been close. Now that Xie Yanlai is dead, and after helping her defeat Xiao Xun, she shouldn’t be so unmoved.”

Xie Yanfang held his teacup, watching the rising steam, and said: “The Empress isn’t unmoved. She seems confused, as if she’s lost someone unfamiliar. But this reaction is normal because for the Empress, Xie Yanlai has always been split in two. In her eyes, there were two Xie Yanlais. The Xie Yanlai, close to the Empress, wasn’t seen as a member of the Xie family in her eyes. Now she doesn’t know which Xie Yanlai to mourn.”

What’s all this about this Xie Yanlai and that Xie Yanlai? Du Qi and Steward Cai exchanged glances.

“Young Master, just tell us if there’s a problem,” Du Qi said. “You came in person to take a look, just to confirm.”

“I came, I saw, I buried my brother with my own hands. That confirms he’s dead,” Xie Yanfang said, draining his tea in one gulp.

Indeed, even if the person in the coffin wasn’t Xie Yanlai, he was still a dead man. Steward Cai smiled: “Young Master, hurry and bathe. Don’t keep the Empress waiting too long.” Recalling the scene when they entered the city and met the Empress, he continued, “After not seeing her for a year, that girl’s bearing has become steadier, even carrying a sense of majesty that reveals no emotion. After this battle, no one at court will be able to stop her from speaking.”

Xie Yanfang smiled: “As it should be.”

……

……

After bathing and changing, when Xie Yanfang returned to the Zhongshan Prince’s mansion, he learned that the Empress was meeting with an official.

“Who is it?” Xie Yanfang asked.

With the pacification complete, there were quite a few officials traveling between the capital and Zhongshan Commandery.

“It’s Commander Ding of the Imperial Guard.” The guard didn’t conceal this information, then asked, “Minister Xie, shall I announce your arrival?”

Xie Yanfang waved his hand: “No need. The Imperial Guard’s matters are confidential. Don’t disturb the Empress. I’ll look around the Zhongshan Prince’s mansion first.” With that, he stood in the corridor, surveying his surroundings.

The guard complied and remained standing at attention without announcing him inside.

Inside, Chu Zhao was examining the register handed to her by Ding Dachui. This was the personnel list for the Imperial Guard to be established here.

“I trust all those you’ve selected,” Chu Zhao said. “But remember, the investigation into these noble families must be discreet. The rebellion has just been quelled, and we can’t create more turmoil or alert our targets. These local noble families, some established for hundreds of years, are deeply entrenched. They hold no official positions, but they’re more difficult to deal with than officials.”

Ding Dachui acknowledged: “Rest assured, Your Highness, I understand.”

Chu Zhao continued: “However, don’t worry. I’ll personally oversee matters here. I’ll leave only after your Imperial Guard is firmly established.”

“Whether Your Highness is in the capital or here makes no difference to us. You needn’t stay specifically to support us,” Ding Dachui said, with a hint of concern. “You’ve been away for so long. You should go back and rest.”

Chu Zhao smiled: “I’m fine. My staying here isn’t just to support you. The Zhongshan Prince schemed for decades. I must ensure this place becomes stable before I can return home with peace of mind.”

When she mentioned going home, her eyes brightened. Ding Dachui couldn’t help thinking that the Empress indeed longed to return home.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I will take good care of home,” he said solemnly.

The home she spoke of wasn’t the capital. Chu Zhao smiled and asked: “Dachui, have you thought about going home? When things aren’t so busy, you brothers should visit your home.”

These days, when Ding Dachui walked through the capital, common people didn’t dare look at him directly. Officials, no matter how much they looked down on them inwardly, showed respect on the surface. Ding Dachui had almost forgotten that he had once been a bandit, let alone remember what life was like before he turned to banditry.

He even felt as if he had been born a commander.

Of course, the Empress was well aware of their origins.

Thinking of his background, Ding Dachui gave an embarrassed smile: “The brothers have all settled in the capital. Those with wives and children have brought them over. Those without have also found wives. They’re living well.”

At this, he again bowed deeply to Chu Zhao.

“Thank you, Your Highness, for your great kindness.”

“This life was earned with your lives. You showed me great kindness first, which is why I can bestow kindness upon you,” Chu Zhao smiled.

Little Man, who had been standing silently to the side, snorted: “Don’t talk about the past. It’s all in the past.”

Ding Dachui chuckled: “Thanks to Miss Little Man as well.”

Little Man snorted and turned her head away.

“Alright, you may go,” Chu Zhao said, handing him the register. “Return to the capital early when your work is done.”

Ding Dachui acknowledged, took the register, and withdrew.

Chu Zhao leaned back in her chair and sighed softly, closing her eyes slightly.

“Is Your Highness tired?” Xie Yanfang’s voice came from outside. “Should I come back tomorrow instead?”

Chu Zhao smiled, opening her eyes: “Facing subjects is tiring, but Third Young Master Xie is not a subject at this moment.” She sat up straight. “Moreover, precisely because I’m tired, I need to eat. Little Man, serve the meal.”

Little Man acknowledged and gave instructions outside. Xie Yanfang walked in with a smile and sat down comfortably across from Chu Zhao.

“Though Your Highness seems somewhat fatigued, your spirits are good,” he observed her for a moment, then said. “So what’s next? Will Your Highness return to the capital first, or wait until things are more stable here? If Your Highness returns, I can handle matters here.”

This was similar to what had happened when Xiao Xun first led troops near the capital and caused disturbances. Chu Zhao had ended the conflict, and Xie Yanfang had stayed behind to handle the aftermath.

Chu Zhao shook her head: “This time is different from last time. Last time, no real fighting broke out. This time, we’ve been fighting with real weapons for almost a year. I fought the battle, so I should handle the aftermath.” She smiled again. “It won’t take too long. Once the officials here are selected and the government is running, I’ll go back. I’ll be back in time for the New Year.”

Xie Yanfang nodded and said, “Very well.”

Meanwhile, Little Man led servants in bringing the food.

“You haven’t been to Zhongshan Commandery before either, have you?” Chu Zhao smiled. “Try the local flavors. I think they’re quite delicious.”

Xie Yanfang picked up his chopsticks.

“Third Young Master,” Chu Zhao continued, “Do you think I’m being too authoritarian in doing this?”

Previously, when she raised the curtain to speak and intervene in state affairs, she had limited herself to the domain of the court. But now, staying in the provinces and personally reorganizing the disrupted government meant that the Empress was also establishing her influence in the local areas.

Xie Yanfang, holding his chopsticks, said: “In my heart, Your Highness and His Majesty should rule the realm with authority. I don’t consider this authoritarian. This is what Your Highness should and must do. Moreover, I, Xie Yanfang, am willing to offer my counsel and face any danger for Your Highness without hesitation.”

As he spoke, he looked at Chu Zhao, his gaze clear and bright.

“From the moment I met Miss A-Zhao until now, I have always been this way, and will continue to be so in the future.”