—— [“Qinghai is a vast land. If you have never set foot there, you can never imagine that behind that blood-stained forest hides such a beautiful paradise.”]

Two hundred and eighty li east of Chifeng, stands an iron-strong fortress named Cuiwei, towering majestically like Mount Canglang.

Zhuge Yue rode on horseback, followed by over a hundred war horses. His current personal guard captain, Guo Huai, led twenty to thirty soldiers at the back, escorting several dozen blue cloth carriages. The wind blew from the east, carrying the scent of soil. It was another spring with blooming flowers, and the Qinghai continent was already a splendid landscape of brilliant blossoms.

At the checkpoint, the guards had already received the news. Upon seeing Zhuge Yue, they bowed respectfully and opened the heavy city gates.

Zhuge Yue spoke quietly to one of the carriages: “Third Uncle, forgive me for not seeing you off further.”

The curtain of the carriage was lifted, revealing an aged but still handsome face. However, the owner of this face was currently frowning, his long eyes filled with regret. He looked up and pleaded one last time: “Your Highness, I was foolish. Please forgive me just this once.”

Zhuge Yue remained silent, simply gazing at him calmly. His gaze was tranquil, but like a frozen mirror lake, it coldly reflected everything, without a trace of emotion.

The old man continued to plead: “Da Xia has already fallen. My older brother and his family have long gone to the north with the Seventh Prince. Now Red River is under the control of that little wolf cub Yan Xun. If you send me back, what am I to do?”

“That’s your problem, not mine.”

The old man was almost in tears. He scrambled up and knelt in the carriage, saying sorrowfully: “Your Highness, it’s my fault. I was bewitched. But I was only thinking of your lack of heirs when I thought of marrying Chou’er to you. I meant no harm to her, I just…”

Before the old man could finish, Zhuge Yue had already turned his horse around, his back straight as a spear, without a hint of hesitation.

The old man was startled and suddenly called out loudly: “I didn’t do anything! I was just thinking about it!”

“Even thinking about it is not allowed.”

Zhuge Yue’s voice echoed calmly in the wind, like a leaf floating on water.

“They are my wife and child. Even if you just think about it in your mind, if I know about it, it’s not allowed.”

A snow-white bird flew over from the Qinghai plains, carrying a twig in its beak. It appeared to be a male bird that had just built a nest.

“Guo Huai, escort them out.”

The gate opened for a long time, then closed heavily again. He led his troops back without a word. The sound of hooves, the green pasture, the circling eagles – everything was peaceful and quiet.

This was Qinghai, his home. He ruled everything here with an iron fist, governed everything here, and would certainly protect everything here. Anything that might threaten this peace would be ruthlessly eliminated. Even if it was just a thought.

“Clip-clop, clip-clop!”

A crisp sound of hooves suddenly rang out. Zhuge Yue looked up to see her wearing a goose-yellow dress, riding on horseback, galloping from afar.

“Whoa!”

Chu Qiao pulled on the reins, straightened up on horseback, looked toward the distant checkpoint, and frowned, asking: “Your third uncle has left?”

Zhuge Yue nodded: “Yes.”

“Why didn’t you call me to see him off?”

Zhuge Yue laughed: “He was reluctant to leave his homeland but wanted to go back. Why trouble you with it?”

Chu Qiao frowned, displeased: “He is your elder. It doesn’t look good if I don’t see him off.”

“What’s not good about it?” Zhuge Yue casually brushed it off, spurring his horse forward, saying: “I’m not close to him anyway.”

Since he was already gone, Chu Qiao sighed helplessly, pouted, and said: “This is because you didn’t let me see him off. Don’t find fault with me later, saying I didn’t give you face.”

The two chatted and laughed, heading toward home. The post road was straight, with green grass and abundant flowers on both sides, faintly emitting an enticing fragrance from afar. This post road was the necessary route to the outside of the pass. Now that the Red River situation had settled, with Yan Bei taking over the eastern land, the Bian Tang civil war subsiding, and Huai Song submitting to Great Yan, the political situation had stabilized. Trade gradually developed. Qinghai had open policies, and Bian Tang had also established formal trade relations with Qinghai. Therefore, this post road was very prosperous and lively. In this short time, more than ten merchant caravans had already passed by.

Both Zhuge Yue and Chu Qiao were wearing ordinary people’s clothing, and the guards behind them were not wearing armor, so they looked like an ordinary family outing.

Shortly after, they suddenly heard the sound of gongs and drums ahead. Looking up, it was a wedding procession – a white horse, a red sedan chair, music, and drumming, winding their way toward them.

Seeing this, Zhuge Yue smiled: “What an auspicious day. We meet commoners celebrating a wedding as soon as we go out.”

After saying this, he instructed Guo Huai and others to make way. Everyone retreated to the side of the post road. The wedding procession came from afar. The groom sat on horseback, quite dignified in appearance. From a distance, he clasped his hands at Zhuge Yue, thanking him for making his way. Zhuge Yue also nodded and returned the gesture with a smile.

Chu Qiao looked at the wedding procession, her memories suddenly becoming a bit hazy. She vaguely remembered that it seemed like a long time ago when she had also sat in a royal palanquin, accompanied by drums and music, walking on this newly built post road.

At that time, she was already six months pregnant, her waistline long gone. She understood the customs here – a woman getting married while heavily pregnant would inevitably cause some gossip. But he insisted on giving her an official status before the child was born. So, she once again became the most controversial bride under heaven, wearing a loose wedding robe, sitting in the emperor’s jade palanquin, and making her way into that magnificent palace built especially for her.

Things in this world are often strange. Many times, you strive hard for something, but may not achieve your ideal. And sometimes, an unintended glance back is destined to create a bond that cannot be severed for a lifetime.

That day, on the Wutong Terrace, she wore a phoenix crown and ceremonial dress, marrying him as his wife under the witness of this Qinghai land. Purple gold, green threads, brocade, and fine garments – he used half a lifetime’s effort to weave this grand wedding for her, giving her a home she could rely on for life, on the land he had built from scratch amid adversity.

Bowing her head in worship, her heart was full of gratitude. In this life, she did not worship gods or Buddhas, yet she was blessed by them. After a hundred battles and countless brushes with death, she had found this good man whom all women in the world would seek but could not obtain.

A man like him deserved all loyal women in the world to love him with their entire lives.

And she was the luckiest one among the countless beings.

That night, he removed her hairpins and makeup for her. The red candles weren’t trimmed, but the western window was already bright. After a journey of life and death, they had finally waited for this day.

Just like the wind on the Qinghai continent, roaming hundreds of times, blowing in all directions – east, south, west, and north – but eventually returning to Chifeng to find its home.

“Xing’er?”

Zhuge Yue frowned and called: “What are you daydreaming about?”

Chu Qiao immediately came back to her senses and said with a smile: “I was thinking about our wedding day. You didn’t ride a horse to pick me up.”

Zhuge Yue looked thoughtfully at the procession gradually disappearing in the distance and nodded: “Indeed. Why don’t we have another one?”

“Sure, I have no objection.”

The two joked as they walked. Soon, they entered Qiuye City and went into the Star Moon Palace through the back palace gate.

However, just as they reached the outside of the Taihe Hall, they heard a commotion inside. The attendant was about to announce them, but Zhuge Yue waved his hand and frowned as he walked in.

As expected, in the courtyard, all the servants were standing trembling to one side. His son was sticking out his little bottom, using all his strength to drag his belongings into the palace. And in the courtyard, someone’s pillow was placed at the door, clearly having been banished outside.

“Zhou’er, what are you doing?”

The three-and-a-half-year-old child was startled by the voice and plopped down on his bottom. He cautiously turned his head, covered his eyes with his hands, and peeked through his fingers, indeed seeing his father’s stern face.

Having already done the deed and been caught red-handed, there was nothing more to say.

Zhuge Yunzhou gave up, stood up, puffed out his little belly, and said loudly: “Zhou’er is moving house!”

“What are you moving house for again?”

The son replied righteously: “Father five days, Zhou’er five days. It’s been five days.”

Zhuge Yue was exasperated. Yes, there had been such an agreement. He and Chu Qiao, though looking shrewd and capable normally, spoiled their child beyond measure. Until the child was two years old, he had always lived in the same room with them. But this, this was sometimes very inconvenient. For instance, late at night, when the night was dark and the wind was high, doing something beneficial for physical and mental health, there would always be a little fellow with ears sharper than a rabbit’s, staring at you with wide eyes – how terrifying!

Finally, Zhuge Yue could bear it no longer and made a pact with his son: Father and son would live in separate halls, each having Chu Qiao for five days. This temporarily gave him a few nights of freedom and abandonment.

Unfortunately, it also caused Zhuge Yunzhou’s trust in his father to decrease significantly. Every few days, this man would refuse to return to his mother with various excuses. The little fellow became increasingly dissatisfied. What’s going on? Bullying me because I’m young and no one listens to me? Mother said, do it yourself, be self-sufficient. If the mountain won’t come to me, I’ll go to the mountain. If you won’t move out, I’ll move in.

So today, taking advantage of Zhuge Yue being out on business, Zhuge Yunzhou perseveringly shuffled his little short legs, moved all his things into Chu Qiao’s bedchamber, and even threw out Zhuge Yue’s pillow to show his determination.

“Ahem,” Zhuge Yue cleared his throat and said meaningfully: “Zhou’er, you’re growing up now. You need to learn to be a man. You can’t always cling to your mother.”

Little Zhuge looked up, blinking his eyes, gazing at his father very, very seriously. Zhuge Yue thought his sermon had succeeded and shamelessly struck while the iron was hot:

“When your father was your age, he could already bend a bow, ride a horse, and was well-versed in poetry and literature. You should focus your mind on proper matters, not thinking about these useless things every day. Do you understand?”

Little Zhuge nodded and said obediently: “I understand.”

Zhuge Yue was overjoyed. This boy had finally seen the light.

“But it doesn’t work.”

Little Zhuge pouted, extending a pair of rosy little hands toward Chu Qiao, saying very aggrievedly: “Mother, my hands hurt. So tired.”

Seeing her precious son’s expression, Chu Qiao immediately melted like butter. Taking two steps at a time, she directed the servants to help him move his things.

Zhuge Yue stood in the courtyard, watching his wife instantly defect, his heart as desolate as autumn wind sweeping fallen leaves.

Late at night.

Someone tiptoed up, got dressed, and left the great hall.

The person responsible for the rendezvous outside asked triumphantly: “Is he asleep?”

“Yes.” Chu Qiao nodded: “Quick, let’s go. I still need to get up early to return tomorrow morning.”

“You little brat, trying to compete with me.”

“Keep your voice down, the little one has sharp ears.”

The night was pitch black. A small child lay at the window, gazing at the two people walking side by side outside, sighing sadly: “Mother has already betrayed me.”

Long ago, Qinghai wasn’t called Qinghai. Long ago, this place had no name. Much later, someone walked onto this land, saw the grass like the sea, the sky and earth vast, and so gave it this name.

Zhuge Yunzhou wasn’t originally called Zhuge Yunzhou. He was called Zhuge Kongming. Later, his mother had a dream where an old man with a fan brought the Thunder God to strike her, so she changed his name.

The Star Moon Palace wasn’t originally called the Star Moon Palace. This place was once an uninhabited land. Only after a family arrived here was a grand palace built, bringing a peaceful and tranquil life.

Heroes walked out of the magnificent battlefield and returned to a mundane, peaceful life. When life is no longer as turbulent as sailing on angry seas, you begin to appreciate the joy of living.

Living day by day, this is what’s real.