Zhang Fen had given birth to a daughter. Her mother came again to speak to her: “You must have a son. Even if you don’t depend on Li Ziyi now, when you’re old you will ultimately depend on a son. You need to try again.”

After seeing her mother off, Zhang Fen said to her maidservant: “Mother’s mind is far clearer than Father’s and Grandfather’s.”

She continued: “Grandfather and Father have done nothing but lecture me, hoping I would honor the three obediences and four virtues and follow the feminine codes of conduct to the letter. Really — men see women and all they want is a woman who obeys. Do they not think? Li the Seventh married me because of the Zhang family’s power and influence — so what if I’m not gentle and compliant? Look how free and pleased I live. Who in all of Yunjing can compare to me?”

“On the contrary — if I were to truly serve Li the Seventh with proper decorum, all gentle compliance and small attentions, what would I gain? When the Zhang family is in its glory, I would only be adding luster to Li the Seventh’s name. If the Zhang family should one day fall, would Li the Seventh cherish and dote on me just because I was gentle? I, for one, don’t believe it.”

“I was a perfectly good future empress, and I don’t know which wretched person caused me to lose that. Then I was married off to a rough military man who came from nothing — am I not entitled to feel aggrieved? Since I am not relying on him for my livelihood, why should I make myself miserable? I’m not stupid.”

“I have everything — I am only lacking a son. Let me first have a son. Then I can shut the gates and live my own leisurely days — even my parents won’t have a hold over me.”

So Zhang Fen summoned Li Weifeng back to her chambers.

Even the emperor urged Li Weifeng: “Seventh Brother, the matter of heirs is paramount. This marquis title of yours needs a son to inherit it.”

Li Weifeng had always had the nagging feeling that the emperor was getting his revenge — back then, he too had said “the matter of heirs is paramount” to the emperor, and now it was his turn.

But all those around him urged him in the same direction, and one person finds it very difficult to go against the prevailing current of the world. Li Weifeng yielded without any real choice, and returned to the mansion on every day off.

What none of them expected was that Zhang Fen failed to conceive again and again, and so Li Weifeng was condemned to keep returning to the mansion on schedule.

A husband and wife who have no affection for each other often find that matters of the bedchamber are discordant as well.

Zhang Fen disliked Li Weifeng’s hard, muscular body with its thick ridges of muscle — she found them alarming — and she had even less wish to see the knife scars and old wounds. During intimate relations she refused to let Li Weifeng remove his clothes.

A man who would ordinarily respond with the slightest provocation found himself, by Zhang Fen’s working, unable to respond at all.

Zhang Fen then complained that he was “useless,” and further aired this grievance to her mother.

Her mother, who had failed to become the mother-in-law of an emperor and harbored resentment for it, looked down rather on her son-in-law — this roughneck from Hexi — and upon hearing this was all the more displeased. Inevitably she mentioned it to a close sister-in-law in private: “Originally there was no fault on my Fen’er’s part. If the man is useless, can you really blame the woman?”

So the reputation of Li Weifeng being “useless” began to circulate.

By the time Li Weifeng found out, he was rendered utterly speechless before heaven, consumed by indignant despair.

He had ten beauties who could all attest that he was perfectly “of use”!

The moment his personal guard reminded him, and he realized he would have to go to Beirong Marquis Mansion and face Zhang Fen again that very day, Li Weifeng felt his scalp crawl.

“Not going,” he said irritably.

His guard said: “That probably won’t be well received… the Marchioness will make a scene again when she finds out.”

Li Weifeng grew even more aggravated and glared. “Let her make a scene. Am I not ‘useless’? If I’m useless, where’s the child going to come from? If a child turns up, all of Yunjing will think there are green leaves growing on my head!”

The angrier he talked, the angrier he got. He pulled his horse’s head around and changed direction.

“My lord, home is this way!” his guard called out urgently. Even if he was going back to the outside residence, it was not in that direction.

But Li Weifeng pointed at two of his men and said: “You, and you — go back and grab the gear. I’ll wait at the city gate. We’re going outside the city to hunt!”

The guards had no choice but to comply. They went back to the residence together, collected the equipment, and rode to the city gate — where the Beirong Marquis himself was sitting quite unabashedly on a wooden stool at a roadside stall by the gate, happily eating meat pies together with a few of his guards.

If the mistress of the mansion were to see him like this, she would scold him again.

The two guards swung off their horses. “Starving — is there any for us?”

Someone passed them freshly warm meat pies. Once those two had eaten their fill, the whole group strung on their bows, mounted up, and rode out of the city.

Jiang Jingye also sensed something was off.

He had followed Li Gu for many years and knew him very well. There was nothing particularly remarkable about Li Gu ordering him to bring back that princess who had been given in marriage — but the use of “escort” and “return to court” made him acutely feel that something was there.

After leaving the Zichen Palace, he deliberately lingered for a while, and sure enough, he spotted Hu Jin.

“Mantou!” he called out in greeting. “Off duty?”

“Oh!” Hu Jin said with a grin. “Why hasn’t the marquis left yet?”

Jiang Jingye swung a kick at him. “Marquis your old man!”

Hu Jin nimbly dodged, noticed a civil official in the not-too-far distance glancing over, and quickly said: “Stop it — people are watching.”

Among the civil officials, their allies were few; most were from Yunjing’s old guard. Marquis Jiang and Commander Hu both immediately composed themselves.

One said gravely: “Come to my residence for a drink.”

The other replied, equally grave: “Exactly what I had in mind!”

From a distance it looked all perfectly serious — as if they were discussing some weighty affair of court.

Once they arrived at Jiang Jingye’s residence, the guards who had gone ahead had already informed the kitchen, and a full table of food and wine had been laid out.

Jiang Jingye’s residence was well-stocked with beauties; he had just acquired a troupe of household entertainers formerly kept by noble Zhao families, and he had them come out to perform. They sang and danced, and Hu Jin found himself genuinely entertained.

Once they had drunk a sufficient amount, they dismissed everyone else. Jiang Jingye brought up Xie Yuzhang: “That Princess Baohua is quite formidable.”

“Ah, she is,” Hu Jin said with feeling. “I truly never imagined — a young woman like her, capable of accomplishing something on such a scale.”

Jiang Jingye was surprised. “You’ve met her?”

Hu Jin said: “When she was sent to Mobei — His Majesty escorted her there, under the old master’s orders.”

Jiang Jingye was even more surprised. “How did I not know that?”

“You were at the time — you were…” Hu Jin thought for a moment. “I believe you’d rotated to the west? That should be right. I remember after we escorted the princess, we then escorted Prince Shou and the fifth imperial prince to Liangzhou, where Third Brother took over, and then we went west. Yes, we were in the west.”

Jiang Jingye said: “So His Majesty and Princess Baohua are acquainted.”

Hu Jin set down his wine cup and sighed. “More than acquainted.”

Jiang Jingye said: “Mantou, is there something I should know?”

When Hu Jin had come out of the Zichen Palace today, he had been purposely looking for Jiang Jingye. He had not expected Jiang Jingye to already be waiting for him — which showed he was a man who paid attention to things. Both of them were among Li Gu’s most trusted confidants. He said: “What I shouldn’t say, I cannot say. I’ll only remind you of one thing.”

Jiang Jingye said: “Go on.”

Hu Jin said: “On this campaign, it would be best if you can bring the princess back according to His Majesty’s wishes. The swords and spears of battle have no eyes — if it should come to the worst and you cannot bring her back, take every care not to let any harm befall her. Don’t ask me any more. That’s all I can say.”

Jiang Jingye understood. He lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said: “It must have been six or seven years since she was sent in marriage?”

Hu Jin said with feeling: “Yes — in the blink of an eye, all this time has passed.”

Jiang Jingye asked: “Is she really so beautiful?”

Hu Jin said: “Beautiful!”

Jiang Jingye could not help but let his imagination wander.

Hu Jin, seeing his expression, gave him an irritable kick. “Stop your damn daydreaming — she’s not someone you get to think about.”

Jiang Jingye defended himself: “Of course I know that. I’m just thinking.”

Jiang Jingye had a certain weakness — he had no self-control when it came to women. Everyone knew this.

Suddenly a servant came to report: “My lord, a certain Master Lin requests an audience.”

Jiang Jingye asked: “Which Master Lin?”

The servant presented a name card. Jiang Jingye took it and read: “Lin Zi? Who is he?” He didn’t recognize the name.

Hu Jin gave a sound of surprise, took the card and looked at it. “Is this Lin Zi, courtesy name Zhongxun, the Secretariat Drafter?”

Jiang Jingye looked at Hu Jin with new respect. “Mantou, you’ve become formidable!”

“Damn it all!” Hu Jin said in pained protest. “His Majesty sat on my head and made me memorize them all! Do you have any idea how many names and official titles there are?!”

Jiang Jingye burst out laughing. “You keep drinking. I’ll go see him.”

He left, and it was not overly long before he returned.

“He brought me an ancient painting and asked a favor of me.” Jiang Jingye said. “Guess what?”

Hu Jin didn’t even need to guess. “He wants you to help him find his sister.”

“Oh?” Jiang Jingye said. “How did you know that?”

“His Majesty has spoken well of this Lin Shi.” Hu Jin then told Jiang Jingye about Lin Fei.

Jiang Jingye said: “This Lin Zhongxun is strikingly handsome. His sister must be a beauty as well.”

Hu Jin said: “All right, her you can think about.”

The seat was barely warm when a servant came again to report: “Yang the Second has arrived.”

“Oh, invite him in at once!” Jiang Jingye said with delight.

Yang Huaishen walked in, took one look, and said: “How dare you two drink without calling for me!”

Servants came over and added a wine cup and chopsticks. Yang Huaishen sat down with them, and Jiang Jingye said: “What brings you here?”

Yang Huaishen said: “I have something to discuss with you, of course.”

Jiang Jingye smiled pleasantly. “Not just escaping from home?”

Yang Huaishen said: “Pfft!”

Yang Huaishen had once had a betrothed. Since he had been determined to go to Hexi to temper himself, Yang Changyuan had reached an understanding with the other family — the wedding would wait until he had spent a year or two in Hexi and returned. Yang Huaishen’s prospective father-in-law assumed he was simply going to Hexi for some gilding of credentials, and naturally was happy enough to have his daughter marry a man with an even higher standing. He agreed at once.

Unexpectedly, war then visited Yunjing, and Yang Huaishen could not return — while the people of Yunjing suffered enormously.

His betrothed’s family was destroyed. And she herself perished in the fighting.

In Xie Yuzhang’s previous life, that young woman had also died — upon hearing the news that her family had been struck by the catastrophe of war, she was struck by such terror and grief that she died in a difficult labor.

Yang Huaishen returned to the capital already in his mid-twenties and still without a wife. In recent days, the Yang family had been busily making inquiries on his behalf.

Whatever proposal was raised, he refused them all, infuriating Lady Yang to the point of pinching him. She went to complain to her husband, and he said: “He’s grown now, and has his own mind. Let us hear what he has to say.”

He summoned Yang Huaishen and asked: “Is there already someone who has caught your eye?”

Yang Huaishen only stayed silent, refusing to say a word no matter how he was asked. Pressed harder, he would get anxious and slip away — to Jiang Jingye’s residence, or to Li Weifeng’s, but always with somewhere to go.

He asked: “My father came home saying His Majesty has appointed you to lead the northern campaign?”

Jiang Jingye said: “That’s right.”

Yang Huaishen said: “Take me with you!”

Jiang Jingye agreed: “Of course.”

Hu Jin, who understood the real reason, said: “Second Young Master Yang is Princess Baohua’s maternal cousin, is he not?”

Jiang Jingye said: “Oh?”

Yang Huaishen said: “The last empress of the former Zhao dynasty — the primary consort of the late emperor — was my aunt.”

Jiang Jingye only then remembered: “Ah right, that is your background.”

Being around them all this time, Yang Huaishen had long been assimilated — he was already regarded as one of the Hexi faction.

They drank a few more cups and the conversation opened up. Yang Huaishen said: “When we go to escort my cousin back, I will absolutely go — and there is one other person I must also see safely with my own eyes before I will have peace of mind.”

Both Jiang Jingye and Hu Jin looked at him sharply.

Yang Huaishen had held these words inside for a very long time — he could not say them in front of his parents. With Jiang Jingye and Hu Jin, whom he knew extremely well, he could not help but speak.

“By Baohua’s side there is a Lin Shi — the legitimate granddaughter of the former Zhao Chief Minister Lin, and the elder sister of Secretariat Drafter Lin Zi.” He said: “Back then, Baohua entrusted her to my care, yet she went on a hunger strike in protest and insisted on following her to Mobei. All these years I have kept her in my heart, not knowing whether she is safe and well.”

Lin Fei had followed Baohua — and that was six or seven years ago now.

Baohua was a princess of noble standing, and yet she had been made to follow the nomadic custom of a woman marrying her late husband’s son. From this, one could imagine what conditions in Mobei were like.

Counting the years, Lin Fei was already well into her mid-twenties. Had she stayed in Yunjing, she would have been the mother of four or five children by now.

Had she married? Had she married well? Did she have children?

Nothing was known. And because nothing was known, Yang Huaishen could not bring himself to speak of it to his parents.

“This time, I must go myself — to escort Baohua back, and to escort her back as well.” He gripped his wine cup with force as he said this.

Hu Jin gave a small cough and averted his gaze.

Jiang Jingye thought to himself: well then — that one he couldn’t think about either.

Meanwhile, in the Zichen Palace, once the others had all gone and Li Gu had dismissed the attendants, he sat alone in the silent hall.

On the imperial desk, Xie Yuzhang’s secret letter lay spread open, and Li Gu’s gaze fell upon the line that Hu Jin had glossed over with his two nasal sounds.

“This concubine, residing in Mobei, though serving as a man’s companion through her appearance, thinks night and day of her homeland. Upon hearing that war had broken out…”

She had told her messenger: if he does not ask, do not bring me up. But he had asked — and the reply she sent back was nothing more than: “There is money, there are people, there are weapons — I can protect myself.”

Protect herself! With a mere five hundred people! What good would that be in a full-scale war!

Her letter spoke throughout of duty to the realm and loyalty to the nation — resolute and unshakable, with not a single word about herself.

Only those four characters — “serving as a man’s companion through her appearance” — the moment Li Gu’s gaze touched them… her suffering came rushing toward him like a wave.