The carriage came to a halt before the gates of the Right Chancellor’s residence.

Wei Han, having received my secret order, had already led five hundred elite cavalry of the Iron Guard and surrounded the Right Chancellor’s residence on all sides.

In those days, when Song Huai’an’s power overshadowed the entire court, Wei Han had still dared to submit a confidential memorial exposing the suspicious circumstances of Hu Guangyuan’s death — I had never been able to see through this Wei Han, armored in silver, silent as iron and stone. I could not penetrate what lay hidden behind those somber eyes beneath his iron mask — how much coldness, how much loyalty. Just as I never knew why he had become the commander of the Iron Guard, nor how he came to be Xiao Qi’s most trusted and most mysterious confidant.

Those who could become members of the Iron Guard were all exceptional individuals selected from among Xiao Qi’s personal guards. They had followed Xiao Qi for no fewer than ten years, were seasoned by a hundred battles, and were all warriors who had sworn to give their lives in loyal service. Gazing at the soldiers before me, each clad in heavy black iron armor, I felt for the first time how heavy and helpless the two words “loyalty” truly were.

What is loyalty? Is there such a thing as absolute loyalty in this world?

Take Song Huai’an and Tang Jing — they had shared life and death with Xiao Qi for over a decade, had risen together from humble and lowly origins, walked the blood-soaked road side by side, and together ascended to the pinnacle of power. Xiao Qi’s treatment of them could not be called anything less than generous. He had entrusted them with heavy armies and bestowed upon them lofty titles, with not the slightest dishonor toward his former brothers. The only wrong he had committed was to stand higher than they did.

Before imperial authority, there is only the supremacy of one — there is no longer any brotherhood of comrades. Men who could once sleep in the same bed and share the same food, who could live and die together, once they stood in the court hall, a strict boundary was drawn between them. There can be only one who stands supreme above all others.

Their loyalty could not be called false — only that placed before the throne and the empire, it was too insignificant.

I looked upon the soldiers before me, one by one, their hot-blooded youth and resolute young faces, and I seemed to feel the near-maddening loyalty surging through their burning blood. With a single word from me, they would draw their swords and raise their bows without the slightest hesitation, ready to fight to the death for Prince Yuzhang a thousand miles away, for the god in their hearts, sparing nothing.

Yet who could know — ten years hence, twenty years hence, if they rose to high office and were steeped in the intoxication of power, would they still possess the same ardent loyalty they did today?

The morning light fell upon their cold iron armor, shimmering with a wintry gleam.

“Commander Wei, proceed,” I raised my head and gazed toward the gate of the Right Chancellor’s residence, and spoke with calm indifference.

The Iron Guard stormed the completely unguarded Right Chancellor’s residence, searching and capturing everyone within. Any who resisted were cut down on the spot. In less than the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the nearly seventy-year-old Lady Song, the seven-year-old eldest son, the five-year-old second son, together with the toddler daughter just over two years old, and Song Huai’an’s two concubines, were all shackled and brought before my carriage.

“Where is Madam Song?” I looked around at this crowd of terrified, weeping elderly and young, and saw no sign of Yuxiu.

“Your subordinates searched every room in the residence and could not find Madam Song.” A commanding officer bowed to report.

Yuxiu was of gentle and virtuous temperament and had never been in the habit of staying out all night. She ought not to be absent from the residence early in the morning.

I furrowed my brow and exchanged a glance with Wei Han. Wei Han turned and said coldly to his deputy, “Take these two concubines and have them find her. If she cannot be found, kill both of them.”

The two dainty concubines immediately shrieked and wept. The beautiful concubine in green collapsed to her knees and, pointing at an old man cowering and kneeling on the ground, cried out, “Last night it was Steward Deng who took Madam away — we knew nothing of it, please spare us, my lord!”

The deputy drew his blade with a clang and pressed it to the old man’s neck. “Speak. Where is Madam Song now?”

The old man in fine robes fell forward with a thud, his body trembling like a sieve. “Mad… Madam was… was locked by the Chancellor in the hidden… hidden chamber of his study.”

Wei Han immediately ordered men to take the old man ahead as a guide, and in a short while the Iron Guard indeed escorted out from within a woman with disheveled, tangled hair.

“Yuxiu!” I cried out involuntarily, and looked carefully — this haggard woman with hair like a wild tangle, her fine robes soiled and ruined, with cheeks swollen high and eyes red and puffy, was none other than the Right Chancellor’s wife, imperially enfeoffed as First Rank Lady — Xiao Yuxiu!

Her body went limp and she fell to her knees before me, trembling as she raised her head. “He finally made his move, then?”

My heart was cut as with a knife as I looked at the red swelling and purple bruising on her cheeks.

Yuxiu gave a bitter smile but said nothing. Then suddenly she crawled forward on her knees to where I stood and knocked her head heavily against the ground with a resounding crack. “He was confused for a time and made an error — the children had no part in it! Wang Fei, I beg you to spare the children. Yuxiu is willing to pay with her life, to bear the punishment in his place! I only beg you to spare him, spare the children!”

Her forehead struck the blue stone ground with a sharp sound. The guards on either side seized her and pulled her away, but she continued to struggle without cease, calling out again and again, “Wang Fei, I beg your mercy —”

Wei Han stepped forward swiftly, and with a blade-edge formed from his open palm, struck the side of her neck.

My heart clenched — before I could open my mouth to stop him, Yuxiu’s eyes had already rolled back, and she collapsed in silence without a sound, falling unconscious where she lay.

“Madam Song has only fainted temporarily.” Wei Han turned toward me without expression. “Awaiting Wang Fei’s orders for the disposition of the prisoners.”

I said nothing, and slowly swept my gaze over the faces assembled before me. Lady Song in her old age had once shuffled forward with someone’s support, insisting on seeing my child with her own eyes. The two lively little boys had once been held by Xiao Qi in the saddle, taught to hold the reins and ride; the little girl had once been held in my arms, giggling and refusing to be taken back by her mother… These people had once been so close to me, as close as family.

My gaze passed over the two concubines, making them flinch and bow their heads, not daring to look at me.

The beautiful concubine in green — her face seemed somewhat familiar. I furrowed my brow and glanced at her for a moment, then finally turned my gaze back to the unconscious Yuxiu.

At the bottom of my heart there were a thousand words, endless anguish — and at last here was the one person I could pour my heart out to, yet I had no opportunity to open my mouth.

I quietly clenched my fists, hardened my heart, and turned away. “Take them all!”

Behind me the old and young wept and cried out, all of it shut out beyond the closing curtain of the carriage.

I sat motionless in the carriage, gripping the short sword in my sleeve with force, cold and sticky sweat seeping from my palm.

Wei Han and I hastened to the palace gates, where three thousand Iron Guard cavalry were already waiting here under orders.

The five thousand Imperial Guards commanded by Pang Kui within the palace, together with these three thousand elite cavalry, were all the troops I could rely upon.

An hour had already passed. I raised my head and looked at the sky. I feared Song Huai’an had already reached the eastern outskirts garrison by now.

“Seal the palace gates, light the beacon fires, sound the warning bells.” Wei Han issued his orders with iron resolve.

The heavy palace gates closed with a thunderous boom, and the massive golden bridge over the moat and imperial canal slowly rose.

Low, deep horns sounded, heavy locks fell on the gates at every entrance to the palace, the Imperial Guards on watch drew their swords and unsheathed their blades, their armor gleaming, and brilliant yellow banners flew high above the imperial city.

A column of blue-green smoke rose from the Fengqi Terrace — the tallest point in the palace — soaring straight up into the sky.

This was the smoke signal used to warn the palace; the garrison troops stationed around the capital, once they saw the beacon smoke, would take it as an imperial edict summoning them to come to the capital in defense of the throne.

I ordered men to inspect the palace’s water supplies, food stores, and weapons. Aside from the Imperial Guards’ arrows being limited, all water and food supplies were adequate — holding out for half a month posed no difficulty.

Each palace hall and pavilion was placed under lockdown; palace servants and attendants were not permitted to move freely without a summons, to prevent disorder from arising.

With all arrangements in order, I ascended the city tower and gazed in the direction of the eastern outskirts for a long while, but still no cloud of dust rose from the east.

Wei Han behind me gave a cold laugh. “It seems Song Huai’an has not found it so easy to succeed.”

I nodded with a slight smile. Correct — if he had smoothly taken command of the eastern outskirts garrison and led his troops back toward the city, by now there should be a fog of dust and sand rising from ten thousand horses in the eastern sky. It had been more than an hour, with no sign of the garrison troops moving out, which suggested that the garrison commander had already seen my beacon smoke and, suspecting the tiger seal, refused to comply.

“Commander Wei, today you and the assembled officers and soldiers risk your lives to accompany me — Wang Xuan is deeply grateful.” I turned my head and looked at Wei Han with a calm smile.

Behind the face mask, Wei Han’s expression revealed neither joy nor sorrow, and his eyes remained cold and expressionless.

I turned away, thinking he would not answer — but then I heard him speak in a low voice. “Wang Fei’s courage is just as it was in those years.”

I was startled, and looked straight into his eyes. Those eyes, this man — could it be…

His eyes finally showed a trace of a smile. “That is correct — it is this subordinate.”

All those years had passed, and I had almost forgotten — on the road from Huizhou to Ningshuo, when I had been taken hostage by Helan Zhen, there had been a rough and broad-built man who, acting on Xiao Qi’s secret orders, had disguised himself as part of the traveling party to covertly protect me. I stared at Wei Han in disbelief, straining to find traces of that man from those days in his bearing and appearance.

“In the battle at Linliang Pass, this subordinate was careless and fell into an ambush, suffering grave wounds — by rights, I should have been executed under military law. But the Prince spared my life.” He slowly reached up and removed the white iron mask from his face. On his vaguely familiar face there was a hideous and terrifying scar running all the way down to his neck, and at his temples there were already flecks of white amid the dark.

“From that time forward, this subordinate changed his name to Wei Han and has never shown his true face to anyone.” He gave a calm smile and replaced the face mask once more.

Looking at this mysterious iron-masked general before me, I felt a surge of emotion that left me momentarily speechless.

At a time of great peril, to meet again an old acquaintance — all manner of things from the past seemed to return before my eyes. The sudden and intense joy and comfort that arose were truly beyond the reach of words.

“The Prince gave this subordinate the grace of renewed life and the kindness of remaking what I was — even to be ground to dust and scattered would not repay even a ten-thousandth part.” Having said this, his cold eyes returned once more to their icy expressionlessness. “While this subordinate draws a single breath, I will not permit a single traitor to set foot within the palace walls.”

I looked at him, my eyes growing gradually warm, and bowed deeply toward him.

“Wang Fei!” He hastily moved to stop me.

I nonetheless insisted on giving him the full formal bow, then raised my head and looked at the face beneath the iron mask. “Commander Wei, my deepest thanks!”

Such staunch loyalty and chivalrous spirit, such an upright and unyielding man — he instantly doubled my courage.

At least, I knew that there was still one person who, after all these tumultuous upheavals, still stood guard at our side, still unchanged.

This alone — how precious it already was.

As for Yuxiu — whether she too remained unchanged, I did not know.

She was the one who had accompanied me along the whole journey; I had watched her grow from a bewildered young girl into a First Rank Lady.

In Fengchi Palace, she had already come around and been brought before me. Palace servants had attended to her washing and dressing. She wore a sapphire-blue palace gown, her full hair pinned low, but her appearance was all the more haggard — the rounded, lustrous face of ordinary days was now sallow and without luster, the red swelling on her left cheek not yet faded, the bruising still visible. With a dazed expression she walked before me, dropped to her knees, and before she could speak her eyes were already reddening.

I waved for those on either side to withdraw, leaving only the two of us alone together.

“Get up — you need not kneel to me.” I sat upright in my chair, lips pressed tight, suppressing the sorrow in my heart. A wave of aching soreness through my lower back and waist nearly left me unable to move.

Yuxiu seemed not to hear, still kneeling with her head bowed.

“Very well — if you insist on kneeling, then it ought to be I who kneel to you.” I nodded, gritted my teeth and pushed off the armrest, and my knees bent — I crashed heavily to the ground.

“Wang Fei!” Yuxiu was stunned and rushed to help me up. But I was already drenched in a cold sweat from the pain, unable to speak. The pain in my knees was the lesser of it — my lower back felt as though it would snap, my legs so numb and aching they had nearly lost all feeling. Since giving birth, I had never been able to rest and fully recover; my lower back ached persistently, and whenever it rained or grew damp the pain became unbearable, as though all feeling had been lost. The physicians had repeatedly urged me to rest and recuperate, yet today the carriage ride had jostled me, triggering the old ailment.

“Yuxiu, I have wronged you.” I bit my lip and looked at her concerned face, and in an instant my eyes burned and blurred.

“No, no — Wang Fei, please don’t say such things. Yuxiu is not worthy…” She was even more flustered, seeming to revert to the timid young girl she had once been — the crisp and capable speech she had cultivated through long experience had entirely abandoned her. She knew full well that at this moment the lives of her children were in my hands, that her husband had become my enemy — and yet she cared for me as she always had, shielding and protecting me, unchanged through ten years.

And yet what had I ever done for her — arranged her marriage, bestowed upon her a title, given her the name of Prince Yuzhang’s adopted sister? How much of all that had been genuinely done for her sake, and how much out of the need to win her loyalty through advantage? Yet even so, she had been grateful to me for her entire life. Searching my conscience, how could I be worthy of her gratitude?

She helped and supported me, trying to get me to stand, but I had not the slightest strength. I simply held her hand and smiled. “Never mind — stop exerting yourself. Keep me company for a while. It has been a long time since we sat and talked like this.”

She paused, then stopped insisting. She sat down beside me as I had asked, and did not forget to place the cushion from the chair behind my lower back.

Yuxiu was three years my junior, yet she looked as though she were several years older than me — the unmistakable bearing of a woman in her thirties.

“You have put on quite a bit of weight.” I curled my knees up and rested my head on them, tilting my face to smile at her, recalling how slight she had been before.

Yuxiu lowered her head with a smile. “This servant has nursed two children by now — how could I still be slender?”

All these years she had never changed her way of speaking, still calling herself “this servant” in my presence. She had borne a son and a daughter; the second son, however, had been born of a concubine. When Song Huai’an had taken a concubine in those days, I had been furious, but found myself helpless in the face of Yuxiu’s silence. Even so, I had refused to let Xiao Qi send congratulatory gifts, and for a long while gave Song Huai’an a cold reception. Xiao Qi had laughed and called me biased and partial, saying I turned a blind eye to Wang Su’s concubines yet deeply detested anyone else taking one.

I recalled that at the time, I had retorted to Xiao Qi: “Others are others, and Brother is Brother, but Yuxiu is not just anyone. In this matter I shall simply be unreasonable and unfair — and toward you, my Lord, I am even less bound to be fair.”

That remark was afterward retold by A’Yue as a jest to Yuxiu, leaving Yuxiu weeping and laughing at once.

That I should recall this now, of all times — it was enough to make one sigh.

“How has he treated you, these years?” I could not stop myself from asking, in the end. This question had pressed upon my heart for many years, and I had never asked her face to face.

Yuxiu stared blankly for a long moment, her eyes reddening. She gave a faint nod, but her tears splashed down onto the jade floor tiles.

I sighed and reached out to gently touch the swollen bruise on her cheek. “Even now, you still refuse to say a word against him?”

Yuxiu turned her head away and said in a trembling voice, “He… he was just confused for a time…”

“When did you become aware of his conspiracy? When were you imprisoned by him?” I looked at her directly, and asked in a cold, flat tone.

Yuxiu wept, tears streaming down her face. “I could not dissuade him. He said that the Prince was gone after all, and that it was finally his turn…”

I seized Yuxiu’s wrist in my reverse grip, pressing close and staring hard at her. “I am asking you — before I received the memorial, were there any unusual signs in his behavior?”

She lowered her head and only wept, but said nothing.

“Exactly when did you first notice that he was making a move?” I lurched upright, startling her so that she shrank backward. She went on weeping and shaking her head.

I tightened my grip on her wrist. “The case of Hu Guangyuan — do you know anything about it?”

Yuxiu’s sleeve-covered hands froze instantly. Her complexion turned corpse-white and she slumped to the floor in a sitting position.

No matter how I pressed her from that point on, she clenched her teeth and refused to speak another word.

I already understood — she was unwilling to deceive me, and equally unwilling to reveal Song Huai’an’s secrets.