While war raged in the northern territories, Qing Prefecture still presented a prosperous and peaceful scene.

Had she not personally witnessed the refugees along the way, she would never have imagined that the bandit crisis had already spread to the western border of Chao’an.

On the way to the Yan residence, Meng Tinghui and Shen Zhishu rode side by side. Apart from the occasional sounds of the imperial guards urging their horses behind them, neither spoke a word the entire journey. The thick night made the man beside her seem even more silent, making it almost impossible for her to connect him with that bright-eyed, smiling, and refined person from years ago.

Earlier, the Chao’an Transportation Commission’s failure to manage grain supplies, which resulted in Shen Zhishu executing someone without prior imperial approval, had become known throughout the court. His reputation for ruthlessness had spread throughout the three northern routes. Whether military officers or civilian officials, everyone knew that this young man, who had become the Emperor’s trusted Chao’an Transportation Commissioner at such a young age, was not one to be trifled with.

After traveling through half the city, Meng Tinghui finally spoke: “I entered Chao’an via the Chengfu route. Along the way, I saw refugees even in the western part of Chao’an.”

Shen Zhishu responded with a low acknowledgment. “The bandits are rampant and have long since moved beyond the Jiankang route. Currently, from Qing Prefecture southward in Chao’an, traces of bandit armies can be found in all forests and wilderness areas.”

Meng Tinghui frowned. “Hasn’t the court already dispatched troops from the eastern and western routes to the three northern routes to jointly eliminate the bandits? How has the situation become so reactive?”

Shen Zhishu sighed deeply: “I’m not clear about the situation in Linhuai, but Chao’an’s original imperial troops have all been sent north to resist the enemy. Currently, we’ve requested reinforcements from the two Yongxing routes to the west, but they can’t match the bandits’ and rebel armies’ familiarity with Chao’an. Trying to eliminate them quickly is simply wishful thinking.”

He urged his horse to move faster and continued: “Moreover, the people in conquered territories are inherently difficult to govern. Now, hearing that an heir of the former Middle Wan Dynasty still exists in this world, the bandit armies have grown at an astonishing pace, multiplying many times over as they’ve advanced from the Jiankang route.”

Her eyelids lowered, and she spoke no more.

The Great Ping imperial troops were extremely valiant; their several major battles at the northern border had immediately halted the advance of the northern Jian army. However, they were helpless against these bandit armies that spread like a plague. Di Nian had led troops northward to command outside Jin Gorge Pass, but even with exceptional abilities, he couldn’t constantly monitor these bandits scattered throughout the remote prefectures and counties of the three northern routes.

Silence fell between them again. After traveling for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, they arrived at the Yan residence.

The servants of the Yan household naturally hadn’t anticipated such an entourage tonight. Besides Transportation Commissioner Shen Zhishu, there were two rows of soldiers in bright armor on horseback, escorting a young woman who had come to see the young lady of the Yan family. Not daring to delay, they welcomed the guests to the front hall and hurriedly went to report inside.

Meng Tinghui had left the capital less than ten days ago, so the court’s edict naturally had not yet been issued. The people of the three northern routes were even less likely to know about the negotiations with the northern Jian army.

When Yan Fuzhi came out and saw that the visitor was Meng Tinghui, she stood stunned for a good while before reacting. Her expression then changed as she glanced aside and said, “I heard that the grain from the Fengqing route has already been delivered to Chao’an. Is Commissioner Shen here tonight to return grain to the Yan family?”

“No rush,” Shen Zhishu slowly replied. “You and I have plenty of time ahead. I certainly won’t renege on the grain debt.”

He turned to face Meng Tinghui, frowning slightly. “Official Meng, coming here tonight already exceeds propriety. I will leave Guard Huang at the Yan residence, and the remaining imperial guards will return to the office with me. I have already seen His Majesty’s handwritten edict. Early tomorrow morning, I will dispatch five hundred men from the commissioner’s office to join the thousand Imperial Court Guards outside the city to escort you north to Ting Prefecture.”

Meng Tinghui said, “Very well.”

Shen Zhishu lowered his gaze. “Then you two can talk in detail tonight. I won’t disturb you further.” With that, he turned and slowly walked out.

Yan Fuzhi had no time to pay attention to him and only stared at Meng Tinghui, asking suspiciously, “What brings you to Chao’an this time? From what he said, it sounds like an extremely dangerous matter.”

Meng Tinghui followed her inside, calmly saying, “Going to Jin Gorge Pass to discuss the cessation of hostilities between the two armies with northern Jian.”

Yan Fuzhi’s brows furrowed, her expression changing, but she said nothing and only led her back to her chambers.

In the back courtyard, the fragrance of flowers filled the air, and moonlight fell quietly. A row of weeping willows by the pond swayed their branches and leaves gently.

Suddenly feeling extremely tired, she didn’t want to go inside and instead sat down on a stone bench in the courtyard, saying, “Let’s sit here and talk for a while.”

Yan Fuzhi turned, lifted her skirt, and sat across from her, raising her hand to dismiss several maids.

Meng Tinghui suddenly smiled, leaning forward to rest on the stone table before her, and said softly, “Chao’an is still so nice. The moon here seems even brighter than in the capital.” She looked up at Yan Fuzhi and smiled again. “When we were in the Women’s Academy before, life was so comfortable, without any worries.”

But Yan Fuzhi’s eyes were cold. She reached for a plate of grapes on the stone table, picked one, peeled it, and said, “Are there no capable people in the court that they would send a frail woman like you to Jin Gorge Pass?”

Meng Tinghui, knowing her temperament, just smiled slightly without saying a word.

Yan Fuzhi placed the peeled grape in an agate cup filled with wine and picked up another to peel, saying with a cold smile, “I know you’ve always been competitive, seeking merit and fame, but can’t you see how dangerous this mission is? Yet you still insist on coming here. The two armies have been facing each other outside Jin Gorge Pass for days. If you go to the northern Jian army camp, how do you know what their intentions are?”

Meng Tinghui reached for a grape Yan Fuzhi had peeled, bit it between her lips, and let the cool, sweet juice spread through her mouth before sighing lightly, “The grapes in Chao’an are truly delicious.”

Yan Fuzhi glanced at her, continued peeling grapes, and said nothing more.

Meng Tinghui suddenly asked, “I just heard you speaking with Commissioner Shen. It seems the thirty thousand shi of grain was borrowed from you?”

Yan Fuzhi nodded, asking with suspicion, “Didn’t he submit a memorial to the court about this matter?”

Meng Tinghui raised her eyebrows slightly. “He did submit a memorial, but it stated that your Yan family provided grain to reward the troops, not that the Yan family lent it to the Chao’an Transportation Commission.”

Yan Fuzhi’s hands suddenly stopped, disbelieving. “How is that possible?”

“It’s true,” Meng Tinghui said with a smile in her eyes. “A few days before I left the capital, I heard that the Secretariat officials had requested that the Emperor officially honor the Yan family to commend your patriotic and benevolent actions, setting an example for other wealthy merchant families in the three northern routes.”

Yan Fuzhi’s lips twitched slightly, clearly extremely angry. “That Shen Zhishu! He used the thirty thousand shi of grain that I worked so hard to gather for him to make this political play!”

Meng Tinghui reassured her, “Why are you angry? He’s trying to establish a reputation for your Yan family. Isn’t that a good thing? Besides, he just said he wouldn’t refuse to return the grain to you, so why are you in such a hurry?”

Yan Fuzhi lowered her eyes for a while, suppressing her anger, before saying, “Earlier, to gather grain for him, I sold several shops in the western prefectures and sent people to negotiate with friendly merchants to purchase their private grain. Only then did I manage to gather thirty thousand shi. How could he not know my difficulties?”

Meng Tinghui exclaimed in surprise, “You sold your shops in the western counties?”

She snorted coldly. “With the north of Chao’an in its current state, and the west invaded by bandits, it’s better to sell the shops early than to have them occupied and looted by those filthy bandit armies!”

Meng Tinghui sighed softly.

In this sudden outbreak of warfare on the northern border, there were many wealthy merchants thinking like Yan Fuzhi. Previously, many merchants had seen business opportunities in the border markets between the two countries and had opened shops in the border prefectures of the three northern routes. Who would have thought that after only a few years of prosperity, the north would face this disaster of external war and internal rebellion?

Yan Fuzhi continued, “I despise those who resort to killing and fighting at the slightest provocation. This time, our Great Ping soldiers are fighting bloody battles at the border, and my Yan family has only contributed thirty thousand shi of grain. What is worth mentioning? As long as the people’s lives can be peaceful again, even if we had to supply the army with a hundred or eighty thousand shi of grain, how could I begrudge it?” She was somewhat indignant. “But Shen Zhishu doesn’t understand my thoughts and uses this to seek merit for the Yan family. It’s truly detestable!”

Meng Tinghui gently lowered her eyelashes and said softly, “You and Commissioner Shen seem to have misunderstood each other. Life passes as swiftly as a glimpse of a white colt through a crack. Why must you be at odds with yourself and with him?” She smiled faintly, as if talking to herself. “Little do you know how difficult it is to be able to love wholeheartedly and to be loved without reservation.”