Cui Xun recounted to Li Ying everything that had happened at court, including the conversation between Emperor Longxing and the Empress Dowager.

Li Ying first frowned: “My younger brother is truly confused. Even if Lu Yumin was his teacher, he was the Emperor of the Great Zhou, and Lu Yumin caused the deaths of so many Zhou soldiers and civilians. How could he show such favoritism?”

After saying this, she sighed: “But fortunately, he eventually came to his senses. Lu Yumin and Pei Guanyue received their deserved punishment, and the Tianwei Army has finally been exonerated.”

She placed both hands on Cui Xun’s face, caressing from his brow ridge to the bridge of his nose. Compared to the Cui Xun she had seen in Ashina Jia’s memories from six years ago, he was much thinner now. Her heart ached thinking of how his life these past six years had been neither truly living nor dead. Now that the culprits had finally been brought to justice, she asked him: “Seventeenth Young Master, what are your plans for the future?”

Cui Xun was silent for a moment, then said: “I don’t want to be the Deputy Minister of the Investigation Bureau anymore.”

He had originally accepted the position to gain the power needed to pursue the truth. Now that his wish had been fulfilled, he no longer wanted to be a hound or lackey. Li Ying nodded, unsurprised: “When do you plan to resign your position to Mother?”

Faced with this question, Cui Xun hesitated. Li Ying asked: “Is there something else you haven’t let go of?”

There was a trace of bewilderment in Cui Xun’s gaze. Li Ying said: “Are you still suspicious of my brother?”

She was truly perceptive, always able to guess his thoughts. Cui Xun pressed his lips together, his raven-like black eyelashes lowering as he murmured: “I’m sorry. He is your brother, I shouldn’t suspect him…”

Li Ying shook her head: “Your suspicion is understandable. After all, the destruction of the Tianwei Army allowed my brother to rule personally. But his defense makes sense, too. He had no reason to risk becoming the ruler of a fallen nation just to gain personal rule. The cost would be too great. Besides, you don’t have evidence proving my brother’s involvement, do you?”

Cui Xun felt lost. During his three years as Deputy Minister of the Investigation Bureau, he had only found evidence connecting Lu Yumin, Shen Que, Pei Guanyue, and others to the Tianwei Army case. Indeed, he had found no evidence of Emperor Longxing’s involvement. Li Ying said, “If you still have suspicions, then don’t resign yet. Observe a while longer. Once you’re certain my brother had no connection to this matter, then resign.”

Cui Xun gazed into Li Ying’s clear eyes, feeling a warmth rising in his heart. He nodded: “Yes.”

The Tianwei Army case progressed quickly. Within a month, the trial was completed. The primary culprits, Pei Guanyue and Shen Que, were sentenced to death by lingchi (slow slicing). The remaining accomplices were sentenced to beheading. On the day of the execution, Ah’man, He Shisan, and other Tianwei Army family members watched from below the execution platform, holding memorial tablets for their relatives. It was as if the Tianwei Army soldiers themselves were witnessing their enemies receive justice. However, despite this, the dead could never return.

Emperor Longxing also issued an edict of self-blame, reproaching himself for his negligence, for trusting treacherous officials, and for harming loyal generals and the people of six prefectures. In the edict, he ordered the return of confiscated Tianwei Army family properties, allowed them proper burials, and provided generous compensation. He also commanded officials at all levels to properly care for their families. At the end of the edict, he wrote: “Treacherous officials have harmed the nation, and the fault lies with me. I have truly failed as a sovereign and am deeply ashamed. I can only learn from past mistakes, employ upright people, promote talented individuals, open channels for honest advice, and protect our territory to atone for my sins. I pray that future calamities will fall upon me alone and not disturb the peace of the people.”

This self-blame edict was the first of its kind in Zhou dynasty history. The Great Zhou was founded on principles of loyalty and filial piety, ideals deeply ingrained in everyone’s consciousness. The sight of the sovereign issuing a self-blaming edict shocked the entire nation. Contemporary accounts described the reactions thus: “Officials shedding tears,” “commoners weeping,” “soldiers all crying.” The hearts of people from all regions turned toward Daming Palace.

Everything was progressing in a positive direction. Ji Qingyang notified Guo Qinwei’s family to retrieve his head from Ximing Temple for burial. On the day of retrieval, the court specially assigned Xue Wanzhe, the Prefect of the Capital, to accompany Guo Xu, Guo Qinwei’s son, to the temple. Emperor Longxing, feeling guilty, was unwilling to enter Ximing Temple. Instead, he led his officials to wait outside. Many Chang’an citizens also gathered to watch, all deeply moved by the Emperor’s wisdom and Guo Qinwei’s integrity. When Guo Xu emerged from the Buddha hall carrying the wooden box, his eyes were filled with tears. After the incident at Luoyan Ridge, he had been exiled to Qixi because of his father’s alleged crime. Qixi was an even more remote place than Lingnan, stretching for thousands of li without a blade of grass growing. Although only in his twenties, he looked like a man in his forties. If Cui Xun had not secretly sent people to care for him in distant Qixi, he would likely have perished there.

Since learning that Guo Qinwei’s head had been made into a drinking vessel, Xue Wanzhe had been crying continuously. He sighed: “His Majesty has granted a place near the imperial tombs, bestowing the honor of burial near the imperial mausoleum on General Guo. He has ordered all officials of the ninth rank and above to attend the funeral, providing some consolation to General Guo.”

Guo Xu hesitated. Though he had a tiger-like father, his abilities were rather ordinary. He disliked martial arts and repeatedly failed at scholarly examinations. Guo Qinwei was unyieldingly impartial and unwilling to seek titles from the Empress Dowager, so Guo Xu had always remained a commoner, farming at home to support his grandmother and mother. When Guo Qinwei was Deputy Protector-General of Anxi Protectorate, Guo Xu received no benefits. After Guo Qinwei’s defeat and suicide, Guo Xu was implicated and exiled. Despite this, he harbored no resentment toward his father and remained extremely respectful. He said: “My father, being buried near the imperial tombs, is truly a great imperial grace. However, Prefect Xue, could you please advise His Majesty to withdraw this order?”

Xue Wanzhe was surprised: “Why?”

“The place my father would most want to be buried is Luoyan Ridge,” said Guo Xu. “There lie the fifty thousand Tianwei Army soldiers he regarded as his children. Some of them had no relatives and could only be buried at Luoyan Ridge. My father would never want to abandon a single one of his soldiers.”

Hearing this, Xue Wanzhe replied: “But burial near the imperial tombs has been the greatest honor for civil and military officials since ancient times. Moreover, the Great Zhou regulations state that when ancestors are buried there, descendants wishing to be buried nearby should also be permitted. After your father is buried near the imperial tombs, you and your sons will also be allowed to be buried there. This is an honor for you and your entire clan. Do you truly not want this?”

Guo Xu shook his head: “A general never abandons his soldiers. My father was the finest general, and I am his son. How could I disregard his wishes for the sake of honor? Whether I am buried in my hometown or near the imperial tombs after death makes no difference to me. I only hope my father’s wish can be fulfilled.”

“But Luoyan Ridge is still under the iron hooves of the Turks. You have no way to bury your father there.”

“The Great Zhou is powerful, and now that the treacherous officials have been eliminated, I believe that one day, Luoyan Ridge will return to Zhou hands. I will first bury my father’s head in our hometown, and when the imperial army reclaims the north, I will move it to Luoyan Ridge and bury it together with my father’s body.”

Xue Wanzhe was deeply moved and genuinely admired this honest and upright young man. He said: “I will advise His Majesty of this matter. I believe His Majesty will be happy to grant your wish.”

“Thank you, Prefect Xue.”

Xue Wanzhe paused, then added: “I’ve heard that you are still unmarried, and that your previous engagement was broken off when you were exiled. If you don’t mind, I have a daughter, eighteen years old, whom I could offer to you.”

Hearing this, Guo Xu was momentarily stunned but quickly declined courteously: “Thank you for your consideration, Prefect Xue, but I already have someone I love.”

“Oh? Who is she?”

“She’s an ordinary commoner woman. Without her, I would already be dead in Qixi. She didn’t despise me for my stupidity or my status as a criminal, but instead cared for me attentively. When I was granted clemency to return to Chang’an, I brought her back with me. After informing my mother, I will officially marry her.”

Xue Wanzhe nodded and sighed deeply: “Young man, you are truly worthy of being Guo Qinwei’s descendant!”

Even though he was ordinary, he maintained his principles—not speaking of wealth when poor, nor currying favor with the powerful when of low status. Such a person was truly fit to be the son of the loyal and courageous Guo Qinwei.

When Guo Xu and Xue Wanzhe emerged carrying the wooden box, Emperor Longxing stepped down from his imperial sedan chair, took the box, and wept: “General Guo, I was deceived by villains and lost a loyal general, allowing your remains to be so insulted by the Turks. I have failed you!”

Officials and commoners knelt on the ground, tears flowing—partly for Guo Qinwei, whose head had been made into a drinking vessel by treacherous officials, and partly for their sovereign, who was filled with regret and had issued the self-blame edict.

Cui Xun, however, was not among the officials. He stood on a hill not far away, quietly watching the grand scene outside Ximing Temple.

Ji Qingyang and Li Ying stood beside him. Ji Qingyang glanced at the black crane-patterned cloak wrapped around Cui Xun’s body. It was still August, yet he was wearing such a thick cloak—surely his body had weakened to the point of serious illness. Looking at the harmonious scene between ruler and subjects below the hill, Ji Qingyang said: “If Deputy Minister Cui hadn’t gone to Lingnan to escort Shen Que, Shen Que would have died on the way, and General Guo could not have been exonerated. In terms of merit, Deputy Minister Cui should rank first. You should be at such a glorious occasion, receiving the praise of the people.”

Cui Xun dismissed this, saying: “Master Ji risked his life nine times to bring General Guo’s head to Chang’an, yet he left no name either.”

Ji Qingyang laughed: “What is my status? A criminal of the Imperial Cavalry Bureau—naturally, I cannot leave my name.”

Li Ying said: “You cannot leave it; he does not wish to go.”

“Why?”

Li Ying looked at Emperor Longxing holding the wooden box and crying below the hill, and sighed: “He still suspects my brother was involved in the Tianwei Army case.”

Ji Qingyang was startled: “That shouldn’t be the case.”

Li Ying quickly asked: “You also think it’s unlikely?”

Ji Qingyang pondered for a moment, then said: “I’m reasoning based on common sense. How could any emperor willingly cede his territory and abandon his subjects? Wouldn’t he fear facing his ancestors in the underworld? Moreover, His Majesty doesn’t seem like a foolish ruler. In my view, he was simply young at the time and deceived by Lu Yumin and others. After all, everyone in the empire was deceived by Lu Yumin then. You can’t expect an emperor secluded in the deep palace to immediately determine that the Tianwei Army was wronged after the incident. That’s unrealistic.”

Ji Qingyang’s words made sense. Emperor Longxing had been secluded in the palace and had never been among the common people. Almost all information came to him through Lu Yumin. Besides, he was only seventeen at the time—he couldn’t possibly have been so discerning as to see through the deception. Hearing even the well-traveled Ji Qingyang speak this way, Cui Xun wavered. Could his suspicions be wrong?

Ji Qingyang patted his shoulder: “Don’t overthink. Now that the matter is resolved, you should cherish the person before you instead of wasting time on needless suspicion.”

Cui Xun looked at Li Ying and felt somewhat ashamed. His remaining time was uncertain. Li Ying had waited for him long enough; he shouldn’t make her wait any longer.

Both reason and emotion told him he should agree with Ji Qingyang and not waste time on pointless suspicion. Yet he still hesitated a moment before saying insincerely: “I will.”

Ji Qingyang didn’t notice anything unusual and just laughed heartily: “Good that you understand now. When I delivered the message to Guo Xu, I noticed the woman who returned with him didn’t look like an ordinary commoner but more like a spy. Could she be someone you sent?”

Cui Xun admitted: “Yes, I sent her to care for Guo Xu. I didn’t expect her to fall in love with him. I’ve already told her she doesn’t need to return to the Investigation Bureau and should just live a good life with Guo Xu from now on.”

“You found a wife for him, but what about your wife?”

Hearing the word “wife,” Li Ying immediately blushed. Cui Xun gazed at her flushed face, his heart stirring, and smiled gently: “I won’t forget.”