The Gao family residence was not far from Tai City. After entering the West City Gate and passing Imperial Street, it was located near Vermillion Bird Gate south of the Imperial City.

Gao Qiao returned home earlier than usual today, but several visiting carriages were still parked outside the front gate.

Luoshen waited until all the guests had left before entering the study. She saw her father had already changed into a blue robe and silk cap, sitting behind his desk, head lowered as he wielded his brush, occasionally coughing twice.

Her father was famously handsome. In his youth, his face was like beautiful jade, with sword-like brows and phoenix eyes. As he aged, he grew an elegant black beard, his graceful bearing unforgettable to all who saw him.

Luoshen had heard a story from the past when her father went out to observe the people’s conditions. Upon reaching Yangqu County, he learned that many farm women had woven summer brown cloth for sale during their idle time, but due to poor harvests that year, city cloth merchants deliberately took advantage to suppress prices. The farm women were at a loss, so he immediately purchased a bolt. After returning to the city, he had it tailored into loose robes, wore them while sitting in an uncovered ox cart, parading through the streets in a carefree manner. Passersby all found it beautiful and greatly envied him. Men of all classes, scholar and commoner alike, rushed to imitate him. Within days, the previously unwanted summer brown cloth became impossible to buy, prices soared, and Yangqu County’s brown cloth sold out completely.

The so-called refined scholarly elegance was embodied in him to perfection.

However, in recent years, her father had grown much thinner, with scattered white hairs appearing early at his temples. Even so, he remained as clear as the bright moon and pure wind, with extraordinary bearing.

Luoshen called out “A’Ye” and came to Gao Qiao’s side, kneeling properly in a seated position.

Ever since last year’s national turmoil, noticing her father’s mental exhaustion and anxiety, she always tried to act mature in his presence.

“A’Ye, is there anything you need me to help you with?”

As Chancellor holding the position of Head of the Imperial Secretariat, Gao Qiao had clerks and secretaries to assist with official documents at the government offices in Tai City. However, this past year, due to national disturbances and frequent warfare, working late into the night had become routine. For convenience, the study at home also served as a meeting place.

Luoshen had freely entered and exited his study since childhood, avoiding others when they came, and often staying here to accompany her father after they left.

Gao Qiao smiled, “A’Ye has nothing today. You should go rest, no need to deliberately stay to accompany A’Ye.”

“Today I went to A’Niang’s place.”

After speaking, Luoshen secretly observed her father’s expression, seeing his brush-holding hand pause slightly: “Why didn’t you stay a few more days? You came back right after going there?”

“A’Niang heard you were ill, so she urged me to return, and told me to be obedient and take good care of A’Ye.”

Luoshen said this with a straight face, completely fabricating the story.

Gao Qiao remained silent.

“A’Niang also specifically sent Granny A’Ju back to the city with me, just to take care of A’Ye’s health and help A’Ye recover quickly. Granny wanted to pay respects to A’Ye just now, but seeing you had visitors, she didn’t come over and went to brew medicine for A’Ye instead. If A’Ye doesn’t believe me, ask her yourself when she comes!”

Gao Qiao smiled slightly: “A’Ye’s illness isn’t serious anymore. If you don’t need A’Ju to accompany you, you should still send her back to serve your A’Niang.”

“A’Ye! It really was A’Niang who sent Granny A’Ju back to take care of you! A’Niang herself probably wants to return too. A’Ye, when will you go fetch A’Niang back to the city, please—”

Luoshen grew anxious, placing both hands on the desk and straightening up.

Gao Qiao coughed lightly.

“Alright… alright… we’ll discuss it after this period of troubles passes…”

“A’Ye, you must remember! And don’t be afraid! A’Niang just has a tough mouth but a soft heart. If you don’t dare go alone, I’ll accompany you. If A’Niang won’t come back with you, I’ll cry for her to see! She’ll always soften when I cry!”

Unconsciously, the little daughter’s manner she had hidden earlier revealed itself again in her father’s presence.

Gao Qiao smiled bitterly.

For this only daughter, he truly loved her to his bones, wanting only to ensure her lifelong peace and happiness, free from worries.

He gave vague responses to several things, then suddenly remembered something and brightened.

“A’Mi, from Jiaozhou, good news arrived today. The rebellion in the Linyu Kingdom has been settled, and in a few more days, Yian can return.”

This time, during the internal strife in the Linyu Kingdom, the court had sent Lu Jianzhi to lead troops to assist the King of Linyu in quelling the rebellion.

The Gao and Lu families had been friends for generations. After crossing south, they were both among the foremost immigrant noble clans of the time, intermarrying with each other.

Luoshen and the Lu family’s daughter Lu Xiurong were close friends who had played together since childhood, and she had also known Lu Xiurong’s elder brother Lu Jianzhi since they were small.

Lu Jianzhi was not only viewed by the Lu family as the successor of the younger generation, but was also outstanding among the noble sons of Jiankang.

From the time Luoshen became sensible, she knew both families intended a marriage alliance.

Her parents had always regarded Lu Jianzhi as the best support for the latter half of her life. The Lu family had also prepared to welcome a Gao family daughter.

After her coming-of-age ceremony last year, both families had intended to discuss the marriage.

If not for the subsequent sudden war reports from the north and Prince Linchuan’s rebellion, the two families should have already arranged the betrothal by now.

Luoshen had always called Lu Jianzhi “A’Xiong” following Lu Xiurong’s example since childhood. Every time she thought of him, her heart felt warm.

Even after marrying into the Lu family in the future, for her it would be like merely changing houses to live in, with the same familiar people around her from childhood to adulthood. She felt very reassured by this.

As she gradually grew up, the originally carefree girl began to understand human affairs.

She began to worry about her parents’ matters, and over the past half year, had constantly worried about her cousin Gao Huan and Lu Jianzhi who were away, always hoping in her heart that the warfare would end soon and they would return safely.

Suddenly hearing this news, one of her concerns finally settled, and Luoshen’s face couldn’t help but show a smile.

“When A’Ye has more time, shall we discuss marriage matters with the Lu family?”

Gao Qiao teased his daughter.

“A’Ye! I won’t marry!”

Luoshen’s face reddened, full of a young girl’s shy demeanor.

Gao Qiao looked at her, smiling without speaking.

Luoshen’s face grew even redder.

“I won’t talk to A’Ye anymore! I’m going to check on Granny A’Ju’s medicine!”

She quickly rose from the sitting couch and headed outside.

Gao Qiao watched his daughter’s slender departing figure with a smile.

In his heart, though he was very reluctant to let his daughter marry, that day would come sooner or later.

It was impossible to keep her by his side for a lifetime.

Fortunately, Lu Jianzhi was beyond reproach in character, appearance, and talent.

Entrusting his daughter’s latter half of life to him would bring peace of mind.

Luoshen’s face still carried lingering heat as she reached the study doorway, when she encountered Uncle A’Qi running toward her with a letter in hand, his expression panicked.

Uncle A’Qi was an old member of the Gao household, experienced and steady. It was rare to see him lose composure like this. Before reaching the door, he was already shouting loudly: “Master, something terrible! Minister Xu just urgently sent someone with a message—Sixth Young Master is in trouble!”

While speaking, he had already rushed inside and handed over the letter.

Sixth Young Master was what the household called Luoshen’s cousin Gao Huan.

Luoshen was startled, stopped in her tracks, and turned back to see her father had quickly risen from the sitting couch, taken the letter, opened it for a glance, and his expression changed dramatically.

“A’Ye, what happened to my cousin?”

Luoshen demanded to know. Seeing her father remain silent, she immediately returned and snatched the letter from his hands.

The letter was written personally by the current Empress Xu’s father, Grand Marshal Xu Mi.

In the letter, Xu Mi said that since leading troops to suppress the rebellion for the court last year, he had served with utmost loyalty and fortunately had not failed in his mission. Prince Linchuan’s rebel army was now retreating and had withdrawn to Luling, making a desperate last stand. The suppression of the rebellion was imminent.

Just when the situation was favorable, an accident occurred.

According to the letter, the previous day, the rebel army had secretly assembled and pressed forward with heavy forces, launching a surprise attack on Ancheng Prefecture, which had originally been recaptured by the court army.

Gao Huan was in the city at the time. Due to insufficient defending troops and the sudden nature of the attack, relief could not arrive in time, and the city fell.

During his attempt to break out, he was unfortunately captured by the rebel army.

Prince Linchuan, knowing he was a son of the Gao family, held him hostage for leverage, claiming he would exchange Yuzhang City for his life. If not granted, he would use him for a pre-battle sacrifice to boost military morale.

Xu Mi apologized tearfully in the letter, saying he had failed Gao Qiao’s earlier trust. While he would spare no cost to rescue Gao Huan, this matter was truly of great importance, and he dared not make decisions on his own, so he specially sent this urgent report requesting Gao Qiao’s decision.

Luoshen was stunned, the letter slipped from her hands and fell to the ground.

Gao Huan was a year younger than Luoshen, the only son of Luoshen’s late third uncle. Gao Qiao had raised this nephew like his own son. He and Luoshen grew up together, and their relationship was extremely good.

Most young noble sons of Jiankang applied rouge and powder, were physically inactive, many even afraid to ride horses, and few volunteered for military service.

Gao Huan was different. He had practiced martial arts since childhood, dreaming of achieving merit through military accomplishments. Last year when war reports came from the north, when Luoshen’s uncle Gao Yun took her cousin Gao Yin north across the river to Guangling to prepare military supplies for war, he also requested to go. Gao Qiao, considering him still too young, refused to let him cross the river and forcibly kept him behind.

Unexpectedly, Prince Linchuan’s rebellion subsequently erupted. He left behind a passionate and stirring farewell letter and departed without permission, heading south on his own to join Xu Mi, requesting to participate in suppressing the rebellion.

Xu Mi had written to inform Gao Qiao at the time, saying he was unwilling to accept him, but Gao Huan stubbornly refused to return to Jiankang.

With no alternative, Gao Qiao had to request that Xu Mi look after him somewhat. Xu Mi had also agreed, saying he would assign him to supervise grain transport in the rear.

Never had they imagined that such a thing would happen today.

Luoshen looked toward her father, seeing his brows tightly furrowed, standing there with a heavy silhouette.

Over this past year, because she often helped her father with clerical work in the study, she had gradually learned about the situation of the Linchuan campaign.

Prince Linchuan had planned for many years. At the beginning of the rebellion, with lightning speed, he captured Yuzhang.

Yuzhang was not only geographically important as the confluence of the Gan and Xu rivers, but also controlled Poyang to the north—a land of fish and rice like a natural granary.

It was precisely because he occupied Yuzhang that the rebels had something to rely on, and the court’s initial suppression efforts repeatedly failed. After several fierce battles with heavy casualties among officers and soldiers, they had finally recaptured Yuzhang from the rebels several months ago.

“A’Ye, you must save my cousin!”

She rushed forward, tightly grasping her father’s sleeve, pleading in a trembling voice.

Several clan uncles arrived upon hearing the news.

That night, the lamp in her father’s study burned all night long.

Heated arguments could be heard faintly coming from within from time to time.

Luoshen did not sleep all night.

At the fourth watch, when the sky was still pitch black, she came before her father’s study.

The uncles had all left. Inside the study, it was empty and desolate, with only one lamp accompanying her father’s gaunt figure.

He stood before the window, his back motionless, incomparably heavy, not even noticing when Luoshen approached.

“A’Ye…”

Luoshen called to him in a trembling voice.

After a long while, her father slowly turned around, his eyes bloodshot, face haggard, expression miserable.

In just one night, he appeared to have aged considerably.

“A’Ye—”

Luoshen could no longer endure it and burst into tears.

She already knew her father’s final decision.

…

Although the situation in southwestern Linyu had stabilized, the pressure facing the court had not lessened in the slightest.

According to intelligence from spies north of the river, Beixia’s intended southern invasion this time was determined to succeed, with rumors of an army numbering one million.

Dayu, even mobilizing all its military strength, could at most recruit only 300,000 troops.

300,000 troops would require three times that number—one million civilian laborers—for supply.

The Minister of Revenue reported that Dayu’s national treasury could now barely support the northern front. The court must quickly end the rebellion to concentrate all efforts on dealing with this great battle from the north that concerned the fate of the nation.

…

“A’Mi, don’t hate A’Ye. A’Ye doesn’t want to save your cousin. A’Ye has no choice. If Yuzhang is lost again and the internal strife continues, once the Xia people press at our borders, our Great Yu may no longer be able to hold on…”

Gao Qiao’s voice was hoarse, tears in his eyes, as he repeatedly explained to his daughter the final decision he had made.

“A’Ye!”

She didn’t hate A’Ye’s heartlessness.

She only hated this world’s lack of peace, why warfare was always one after another, never having a peaceful day.

Because of warfare, the country was weak and the people poor, her father was exhausted from coping, mentally and physically drained, never showing joy all day.

Because of warfare, it nurtured the dreams and ambitions of young noble sons like her cousin who dreamed of achieving merit.

Also because of warfare, it made her taste for the first time in her life what it meant to be separated from loved ones by death.

She cried uncontrollably, finally exhausted and falling asleep in her father’s embrace. The next day when she woke, she had a headache and fever and could not get up.

Luoshen couldn’t sleep through the night, lying in bed for three whole days. Even Xiao Yongjia, who hadn’t returned to the city for several years, rushed back upon hearing the news and cared for her day and night.

On the morning of the fourth day, while she was in a daze, she was shaken by another piece of news.

Her cousin was saved!

At the crucial moment, a low-ranking military officer single-handedly charged into Prince Linchuan’s battle formation as if entering an unguarded territory, and rescued her cousin.

That officer’s name was Li Mu.