The carriage swayed and rocked along the post road heading west.

Fu Tingyun, wrapped in a fur coat, didn’t feel cold at all.

She asked Zheng San Niang, who was sitting opposite her with breath turning to mist: “Where are we now?”

Zheng San Niang hastily lifted the carriage curtain to look outside.

All that met her eyes were either yellow earth slopes or red clay hills.

“Brother San Fu,” she called to San Fu, who was riding alongside the carriage, “where are we now?”

San Fu, wearing a fur coat and with a ruddy face, reined in his horse and turned back, chuckling: “We’ll reach Yongjing before dark. After Yongjing is Zhuanglang. In another twenty days or so, we’ll reach Zhangye.”

Because Fu Tingyun had decided to go to Zhangye at the last minute, although they hurriedly purchased supplies, they suddenly had three more adults and one child. Just considering the dried provisions alone that needed to be added, they ended up being delayed by a day. They finally set out from Xi’an Prefecture on the twenty-seventh day of the eighth month.

After leaving Xi’an Prefecture, refugees were everywhere. Fortunately, they appeared tall and strong, and when San Fu and Shi Zhu cracked their horsewhips, they left bloody marks. This intimidated quite a few people along the way, allowing them to reach Meixian County safely.

Perhaps because everyone thought it would become more desolate the further west they went, after passing Meixian County, they no longer saw refugees. Instead, they occasionally passed large merchant caravans coming in the opposite direction.

No longer having to deal with those unarmed refugees, San Fu and the others breathed sighs of relief.

Hearing that Zhuanglang was in sight, Zheng San Niang became cheerful and was just about to turn and report to Fu Tingyun when Zhao Ling, hearing the commotion, rode over.

“What’s the matter?” he asked with concern, his gaze sweeping past her face to look inside the carriage.

This way he couldn’t see inside the carriage, but Zheng San Niang still instinctively moved slightly to the side, as if this would allow Zhao Ling to see more clearly.

“Miss Fu was asking where we’ve reached,” she respectfully repeated San Fu’s words.

Zhao Ling nodded, not asking further. He said, “Tell Miss Fu to stop reading, she might hurt her eyes,” then spurred his horse forward to ride alongside Yang Yucheng.

Zheng San Niang watched Zhao Ling’s retreating figure, wearing only a blue cotton robe, and lowered the curtain while muttering: “If only Miss had listened to me initially. Although that fox fur coat cost over a hundred taels of silver, its color was gleaming black and lustrous throughout—a fine item. It wouldn’t have been a waste to buy it. But you thought it too expensive and couldn’t bear to spend the money. Now look what’s happened. Master Zhao has given his fur coat to you and has only a cotton robe himself, wearing it day after day…”

“Aiyah!” Fu Tingyun was even more troubled, “I bought him three fur coats, but he simply waved his hand, saying he didn’t need this or that, and brought only one fur coat on our journey.” Though she said this, thinking of the biting cold outside and his previous injury, not knowing if he had fully recovered, refusing to take his fur coat only to have him drop it and leave with a stern face—she couldn’t help but feel anxious. She said softly, “How could I have known it would be so cold here! I’ve heard that silk from Jiangnan passes through Zhangye to be sold to Dashi, and many merchants have established guild halls there. Surely they must have fur coats available. We’ll figure something out when we arrive.”

That was all they could do now.

Zheng San Niang sighed inwardly, thinking of the journey so far with nothing but yellow earth and red clay. Concerned about what Zhangye would be like, she asked Fu Tingyun softly: “How important is a Zongqi? Is a county constable more important, or is a Zongqi more important?”

The official document from the Shaanxi Military Commissioner’s Office stated that Zhao Ling was a Zongqi (Company Commander), while Yang Yucheng and Jin Yuanbao were Xiaoqi (Squad Leaders). San Fu and Shi Zhu were ordinary military households. Ah Sen, being too young, was not registered.

“I don’t know either!” Fu Tingyun tucked the fur coat around herself and said: “Once we reach Zhangye, we can ask around and find out.”

As they were talking, they arrived at Yongjing County.

Before even getting out of the carriage, they could hear the clamor of voices. Upon alighting, they found merchant caravans everywhere. The neighing of horses, the tinkling of camel bells, and the shouts of people loading and unloading goods were incessant. There were Dashi people with yellow hair and green eyes, Hui people wearing white hats, traders dressed in fur coats… all crowded shoulder to shoulder, raising clouds of yellow dust.

Fu Tingyun widened her eyes with curiosity, looking around like a village girl visiting a city for the first time.

Seeing a Hui woman wearing a gold-edged veil in the crowd, she couldn’t help staring at her.

Zhao Ling watched with a faint smile.

Ah Sen cried out: “Wasn’t it said that beyond the passes there are few people and it’s barren and desolate? Why are there so many people here?”

Yang Yucheng and the others looked at the people coming and going before them, also somewhat overwhelmed. Only Zhao Ling remained calm, smiling: “Without seeing the snow on the Qilian Mountains, one might mistake Zhangye for Jiangnan. This place has been an important commercial route since ancient times. Large caravans of merchants sustain the people along the way, so this hustle and bustle is not surprising.” He then said, “You’ve all had a tiring journey these past days. Let’s rest well tonight.” Then he walked toward the largest inn.

The group lingered somewhat reluctantly on the street, looking around for a moment before following Zhao Ling into the inn.

They rented a relatively secluded courtyard at the back of the inn. The attendants eagerly led the horses to the stable, brought tea, and fetched hot water. San Fu and the others, not trusting the attendants, joined Zheng San and Shi Zhu in carrying their belongings from the carts to their wing rooms. Zheng San Niang attended to Fu Tingyun’s toilette, while Zhao Ling, Yang Yucheng, and Jin Yuanbao closed the door to talk in their room. Ah Sen sat at the entrance, holding Linchun and watching the strange-looking Dashi people and the high-nosed, deep-eyed Hui people.

After a while, Zheng San Niang found Ah Sen: “Miss Fu wants you to go back and wash up, so we can have dinner soon.”

Ah Sen handed Linchun to Zheng San Niang and ran back. After washing, he went to Fu Tingyun’s room.

Fu Tingyun was wringing out her hair with a towel. Seeing that he still had his hair in little tufts, she scolded: “Go wash your hair.”

Ah Sen didn’t like washing his hair and tried to dodge: “No one will help me wash it. I can’t wash it well by myself.”

Fu Tingyun stood up: “Go ask for water, I’ll help you wash it.”

Seeing he couldn’t escape, Ah Sen ran off like a gust of wind.

Fu Tingyun gave chase.

Ah Sen quickly begged for mercy: “I’m going to wash it now, I’m going to wash it now!”

Hearing the commotion, Zhao Ling pushed open the window. Yang Yucheng and Jin Yuanbao also looked out into the courtyard. Seeing Fu Tingyun drag Ah Sen back, they all laughed.

“This little monkey finally has someone to keep him in line!” Jin Yuanbao said.

Yang Yucheng, however, was not pleased: “Miss Fu is overstepping her bounds a bit.”

Zhao Ling and Jin Yuanbao just smiled at him.

His face immediately turned red, and he hurriedly said: “Let’s talk about important matters, important matters.”

When they had just left Xi’an Prefecture, Fu Tingyun had tactfully reminded Yang Yucheng not to pick his teeth at the dining table.

Fearing Yang Yucheng would be angry from embarrassment, the two men went along with his change of subject.

“The Commanding Officer of Zhuanglang Guard is Lu Cheng. He inherited the position of Centurion. In the thirty-sixth year of Pingxi, when the Mongols invaded, he was the Assistant Commanding Officer of Zhuanglang Guard. He accompanied the Marquis of Yingchuan in recapturing the Hami Guard and was meritorious, for which he was granted the hereditary title of Chiliarch. In the thirty-eighth year of Pingxi, he was promoted to Commanding Officer.” Jin Yuanbao said seriously, “That’s all I could find out.”

Yang Yucheng exclaimed loudly: “Following the Marquis of Yingchuan to recapture Hami Guard earned him a promotion from hereditary Centurion to Chiliarch. Then the Marquis of Yingchuan, who recaptured the Hami Guard, must have received even greater rewards.”

Jin Yuanbao looked at him coldly, not concealing his contemptuous expression that seemed to say ‘that goes without saying’: “The Marquis of Yingchuan has two sons, one ten years old and the other four. The ten-year-old was granted the hereditary title of Assistant Commanding Officer, third rank, and the four-year-old was granted the title of Assistant Commander, fourth rank!”

“Ah!” Yang Yucheng salivated with envy, “Those two boys are truly fortunate!” His eyes gleamed.

Zhao Ling couldn’t help but smile: “If you work hard, you may yet be able to earn titles and secure positions for your wife and children.”

“Master Zhao is right,” Yang Yucheng said enthusiastically. “For a man to live his life without bringing glory to his family and securing benefits for his wife and children would be to live in vain!”

Jin Yuanbao couldn’t be bothered with him and said to Zhao Ling: “Master Zhao, this won’t do! What we know is what everyone knows. We need to find ways to understand Lu Cheng’s character and temperament, his likes and dislikes, how many wives and concubines he has, which son he favors most… And the Marquis of Yingchuan, we must also inquire about him carefully.”

“Yes,” Zhao Ling nodded, his expression serious. “Preparation leads to success, lack of preparation leads to failure. Since we’ve come here, we can’t just muddle through our days.” As he spoke, he pondered: “Yongjing County is only forty or fifty li from Zhuanglang Guard. If people from Zhuanglang Guard want to seek pleasure and entertainment, Yongjing County is the most prosperous and closest place to them, so they will certainly come to Yongjing County. Let’s rest here for two days, use this opportunity to first find out about Lu Cheng, then stay in Zhangye for two more days to learn about the Marquis of Yingchuan before reporting to the Gansu Commander-in-Chief’s Office.”

Jin Yuanbao nodded, and the two discussed some more details. Then San Fu came to knock on the door, saying that hot water was ready, and everyone dispersed.

Zhao Ling took a comfortable bath. While sitting on the bed using a towel to dry his hair, he suddenly thought of Fu Tingyun.

What was she doing now?

Once the thought arose, he felt restless.

He couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

His current mood was too impulsive.

After his emotions calmed somewhat, he went to Fu Tingyun’s room.

Ah Sen had already washed his hair and was sitting with his hair loose in front of Fu Tingyun’s kang bed. Fu Tingyun was about to teach him to recite “Thousand Family Poems.”

“‘Faint moon and sparse stars surround the imperial palace,’ means that on the fifteenth day of the first month, the Lantern Festival, the lanterns are as brilliant as the moon and stars in the sky, surrounding the imperial palace. ‘Immortal winds blow down the fragrance from imperial censers,’ means that the atmosphere in the imperial palace is like a celestial realm, with fragrant smoke curling around…”

The gentle voice made him smile slightly as he gently pushed open the door.

Hearing the sound, both looked toward the source and were surprised to see Zhao Ling.

Fu Tingyun stood up.

Ah Sen hurriedly came forward to bow.

Zhao Ling smiled and stroked Ah Sen’s head: “Reciting poetry again?”

Ah Sen nodded, his eyes wide, wanting to speak but hesitating.

“What is it?” Zhao Ling asked him.

Ah Sen tilted his head: “Only temples have curling incense smoke. How could the imperial palace also have curling incense smoke? If celestial realms also have curling incense smoke, no wonder those women all want to burn incense at temples—with curling incense smoke, they will soon become immortals!” As he spoke, he giggled.

Fu Tingyun felt somewhat of a headache.

This child always had many strange and peculiar thoughts.

Zhao Ling laughed heartily: “Places with curling incense smoke are certainly not all celestial realms. However, this poem is called ‘Attending a Banquet on the Lantern Festival,’ written by a minister for the emperor during the Lantern Festival. He had to flatter the emperor, so he connected everything to the celestial immortals in heaven. It’s saying that the emperor is like an immortal. Do you understand?”

Ah Sen nodded repeatedly.

Is this how one teaches children?

No wonder Ah Sen turned out this way.

Fu Tingyun was displeased and said clearly: “Master Zhao, your footsteps are so light that I didn’t notice you come in. It gave me quite a start.”

She was hinting that he should have knocked before entering.

“Is that so?” Zhao Ling smiled casually, “Then I’ll be more careful in the future.” He then sat down beside Fu Tingyun and asked Ah Sen: “These days you’ve been learning ‘Thousand Family Poems’ with Miss Fu. How many have you learned?”