When He Yan returned to the room, the lights were still on. Two maids were lying on the side couch in the outer room playing cat’s cradle. Upon seeing He Yan, they quickly stood up and said, “Madam.”

He Yan spoke softly, “It’s alright, you can sleep. I’m going to rest now. Has Young Master gone to bed?”

Cui Jiao shook her head, “Young Master is still reading.”

He Yan nodded, “I understand. You should rest early too.”

She pushed open the door to the inner chamber and saw Xiao Jue sitting at the table, reading through a long scroll. He wore only his inner robes, which draped loosely over his shoulders, revealing jade-like skin and delicate collarbones, beautiful as moonlight.

He Yan closed the door and walked to his side, saying, “Commander?”

Xiao Jue merely glanced at her briefly without speaking.

“I thought you had gone to sleep,” He Yan unfastened the whip from her waist and hung it on the wall. The colorful tassel at the handle swayed like sunset clouds with her movement, and a red pomegranate flower made of carnelian was particularly eye-catching. Xiao Jue’s gaze fell on the tassel.

Seeing him looking, He Yan took down the whip and handed it to Xiao Jue: “How is it, Commander? Isn’t it beautiful? Fourth Young Master Chu gave it to me.”

“Chu Zilan is certainly generous,” Xiao Jue lowered his eyes, his tone even. “Such a precious item, he doesn’t mind wasting it on you.”

“Precious?” He Yan asked in surprise. “Fourth Young Master Chu said the pomegranate flower is fake jade, worth very little. I only accepted it because he said that.”

“Oh,” his eyes flickered with mockery, “Then he’s quite thoughtful.”

“Is it really that valuable?” He Yan became uneasy. “Perhaps I should return it to him tomorrow.” Being indebted to others could lead to complications that would be hard to resolve later, especially regarding money matters – it was better to keep things clear.

Xiao Jue: “Keep it. Don’t you like him very much?”

He Yan was shocked: “I like him? How come I didn’t know this myself!”

“I originally didn’t want to interfere in your affairs, but I must warn you,” the young man’s features were impossibly handsome in the lamplight, his pupils dark and deep, carrying an inexplicable coldness. “Chu Zilan is Xu Jingfu’s chosen son-in-law. If you don’t want to die, stay away from him.”

Lady Xu Pingting was Xu Jingfu’s precious daughter, and she seemed to fancy Chu Zilan – Lin Shuanghe had told her about this too. But what did that have to do with her? Besides, regardless of whether she liked Chu Zhao or not, such a refined and courteous man would hardly be interested in a woman who sat cross-legged on beds practicing martial arts.

Xiao Jue was worrying needlessly.

“Commander, I think you’re too concerned about Fourth Young Master Chu, even developing prejudice against me.” She squeezed next to Xiao Jue, bending down to look at the scroll in his hands. “It’s so late, what are you reading?”

When Xiao Jue didn’t respond, He Yan stood behind him, craning her neck to look. After a moment, she said, “Oh, it’s the military defense map! Have you noticed any issues?”

“The way you speak,” Xiao Jue calmly began, “sounds as if you’re the Commander.”

He Yan immediately withdrew her hand from his shoulder and moved to bring a stool to sit beside him, saying, “I’m just very concerned. Princess Meng Ji’s recent relocation of Jiyang City’s civilians will soon be discovered by the Wuto people. Once they receive this news, they’ll quickly mobilize their army.” He Yan felt a headache coming on. “But Jiyang City has too few soldiers. Since the Wuto people dare to attack the city, they surely won’t bring fewer than a hundred thousand troops.”

Twenty thousand against a hundred thousand – and these twenty thousand were city garrison troops who hadn’t fought in years. The situation didn’t look promising from any angle.

“Weren’t you a female general in your previous life?” Xiao Jue leaned back in his chair, his lips curling slightly. “Tell me what to do.”

He Yan was stunned for a moment – how ironic that when she spoke the truth, it was taken as a lie.

“In the defense map, they’re coming by water,” He Yan said. “In that case, we can only… use water tactics.”

At this point, she carefully raised her eyes to observe Xiao Jue’s expression. The young man’s expression remained as calm as ever, and the drinking sword hanging on the wall gleamed like ice crystals, cold and sharp.

It was strange – between her and Xiao Jue, one had died in water in her previous life and carried a deep shadow in her heart regarding water. The other had fought his first battle on water, and water warfare wasn’t a pleasant memory for him either. Yet here in Jiyang City, they couldn’t avoid such a battle no matter what.

He Yan even wondered if she and Xiao Jue had been fire spirits in their previous lives, to have such an ill-fated relationship with water.

“Tomorrow morning I’ll go to the training grounds to drill the troops,” Xiao Jue said. “You’ll come too.”

“Me?” He Yan hesitated. “I’d like to, but would Princess Meng Ji be displeased?”

Nominally, Xiao Jue was the Right Army Commander of Great Wei, and no one was more qualified than him to train troops and prepare for war, but He Yan was just his subordinate.

“Don’t worry about her,” Xiao Jue said. “You’ll come with me.”

…

Deep into the night.

A man sat before a long table in his room, silently gazing at the flower basket on the table.

The sugar artwork glowed warm and crystalline in the lamplight, the flowers in the basket blooming abundantly. On the front of the basket were two characters: Zilan. They were proper and beautiful.

In his ears seemed to echo a smiling voice.

“Zhao means light, and Zilan means fragrant grass. The person who named you must have loved you very much, hoping you would be of noble character and have a bright future, to give you such elegant characters.”

The person who named him must have loved him very much.

Chu Zhao had never believed this.

His mother was named Ye Runmei, the daughter of a minor official in Qin County, born with transcendent beauty that could rival celestial maidens. This was how he remembered her too – a woman with flawless features, beautiful and alluring yet pitiful, with a hint of naive pride in her delicate demeanor.

Such a beauty was unforgettable at first sight. Many young men in Qin County hoped to marry Ye Runmei, but she had set her heart on Chu Lingfeng, the Marquis of Shijin, who had come to handle affairs in Qin County.

Even in Shuo Capital, Chu Lingfeng was considered a rare beauty among men. Combined with his generosity and having spent many years among the painted ladies, he knew well how to win hearts. Soon, Ye Runmei had secretly given her heart to this romantic and attentive Young Master Chu.

Not only did she give her heart, but she also shared intimate moments with him.

But it only lasted three months before Chu Lingfeng had to return to Shuo Capital. Before leaving, Chu Lingfeng told Ye Runmei he would return to marry her. At that time, Ye Runmei was completely immersed in the beautiful dream of waiting for her beloved to come and marry her, not realizing that besides knowing Chu Lingfeng’s name and that he lived in Shuo Capital, she knew nothing else about him.

After Chu Lingfeng left, there was no more news of him.

Shortly after his departure, Ye Runmei discovered she was with a child.

She was anxious and afraid, not daring to tell anyone. But as her belly grew larger day by day, it eventually couldn’t be hidden. Master Ye was furious and demanded to know who the father of the child was. Ye Runmei herself didn’t even know the man’s true identity, how could she explain? She could only cry endlessly.

Finally, Master Ye had no choice but to call for a doctor, planning to terminate Ye Runmei’s pregnancy. After a year or so, he would arrange for her marriage, and this matter would be buried forever, never to be spoken of.

When Ye Runmei learned of her father’s plans, she fled in the night.

She was unwilling to terminate this child, whether out of lingering attachment to Chu Lingfeng or for some other reason. In any case, she ran away.

Ye Runmei decided to go to Shuo Capital to find Chu Lingfeng.

How could a woman heavy with a child travel such a long distance? But because of her beauty, she met a merchant along the way who offered to help, agreeing to take her to Shuo Capital.

Before reaching Shuo Capital, Ye Runmei went into labor, and this was when Chu Zhao was born. After Chu Zhao’s birth, Ye Runmei’s tragic days were just beginning.

The merchant wasn’t a kind person. Coveting Ye Runmei’s beauty, he hoped she would become his concubine. When Ye Runmei adamantly refused and scratched the merchant in resistance, he angrily sold her to a brothel for ten taels of silver.

Chu Zhao was sold along with her, as the brothel madam thought that since Ye Runmei was so striking, her son would likely be handsome too, and might bring in another sum of money in the future. If he didn’t turn out good-looking, he could at least serve as a servant.

So Ye Runmei and Chu Zhao came to live in the brothel.

The young lady who had been pampered for over a decade, ignorant of the world’s dangers, saw all kinds of ugly and vicious people in the brothel. It was as if all her past good fortune was being reclaimed – Ye Runmei lived a life worse than death. Long-term torment changed her temperament drastically. She became irritable and volatile. Though she didn’t dare act out in front of clients, she vented all her inner resentment on Chu Zhao, often beating him severely. If not for the protection of other women in the brothel, Chu Zhao believed he might not have survived to see Chu Lingfeng.

Chu Zhao never understood his mother’s feelings toward him. If she didn’t love him, why did she leave home alone to protect her unborn child, enduring hardships without abandoning him? If she loved him, why did she repeatedly say such hurtful things to him, her eyes and brows full of hatred?

She would often beat him with bamboo poles, saying while striking, “I hate you! If it weren’t for you, if it weren’t for you, my life wouldn’t be like this! Why did you have to appear? Why don’t you just die!”

After such vicious curses, she would look at the wounds on Chu Zhao’s body and embrace him in tears: “I’m sorry, Mother is sorry, Ah Zhao, Zilan, don’t blame Mother, Mother loves you…”

Young as he was, he felt confused. Love or not love, he didn’t understand. Looking at that weeping woman, only a slight trace of disgust passed through his heart.

He hoped these days would end soon, hoped he could grow up quickly and escape this filthy, desperate place.

He wasn’t the only one thinking this way; Ye Runmei was also looking for opportunities.

She had never given up on finding Chu Lingfeng. While cursing his heartlessness, she remained full of hope for him. She would often look at Chu Zhao as if seeing all her hopes, perhaps keeping him when she did was for the day she would meet Chu Lingfeng again when she could stand proudly before him and say: This is your son. Then she could recount all the hardships of these years. Chu Lingfeng would feel sorry for her and, as he had promised years ago, take her as his wife, making up for all the years of neglect toward mother and son.

This was Ye Runmei’s thinking, so she actively entertained every guest from Shuo Capital. Being exceptionally beautiful, she easily became the most sought-after courtesan in the brothel. Though not in Shuo Capital, merchants passing through occasionally included people from there, and one day, she met someone who knew Chu Lingfeng.

This person was Chu Lingfeng’s friend. At first, when hearing Ye Runmei recounts her bitter past, he merely treated it as entertainment, occasionally offering words of comfort to satisfy his savior’s conscience. But when he heard the man was called Chu Lingfeng, handsome and romantic, and from Shuo Capital, his expression gradually changed.

Those who knew Chu Lingfeng were aware of his reputation for dallying among flowers, particularly his fondness for beauty. It wasn’t impossible that he would become entangled with a minor official’s daughter while traveling. However, his handling of the matter was improper – he should have at least told her the truth and let her give up hope, rather than leaving her waiting bitterly for years, turning it into an ill-fated relationship.

“My poor child… I wonder if he’ll ever have the chance to meet his father in this life,” Ye Runmei covered her face and wept.

“There’s a child?” The friend was startled and asked, “May I see him?”

Ye Runmei called for Chu Zhao to come out.

Chu Zhao’s nose and mouth resembled Ye Runmei’s, but his eyes and brows were as if cast from the same mold as Chu Lingfeng’s – gentle and affectionate, seeming to always carry a soft smile when looking at others. No one would doubt this face belonged to Chu Lingfeng’s son.

The friend then rose, made some perfunctory remarks, and hurriedly left.

Ye Runmei was extremely disappointed.

Upon returning to Shuo Capital, the friend’s first action was to visit Chu Lingfeng at the Marquis of Shijin’s residence, asking if he had a brief romance with a beauty in Qin County years ago. After thinking for a long while, Chu Lingfeng vaguely recalled some impression – hazily remembering an exceptionally delicate woman, though unfortunately somewhat foolish, believing everything he said without doubt.

“That woman has fallen into a brothel now,” the friend said. “She even bore you a son. I’ve seen the child – he looks very much like you, extremely beautiful!”

This was beyond Chu Lingfeng’s expectations.

Lady Chu was plain and homely, never concerning herself with his romantic affairs outside, so he enjoyed his freedom, bringing nineteen concubines into the household, each more beautiful than the last. However, Lady Chu had only one condition – taking concubines was acceptable, but children could only come from her womb.

Lady Chu had borne three children, and Chu Lingfeng had little interest in having many children for good fortune, so he felt this was enough. His only regret was that none of his three sons had inherited his looks – they were all ordinary in appearance. He knew his colleagues and friends laughed behind his back – he who had spent his life pursuing beauty had offspring who were plain and unremarkable, not appealing enough.

Now someone came telling him he had a son left outside, one who was particularly striking, with features very similar to his own. This was like a gift from heaven for him. He immediately wanted this child to be acknowledged and brought into the family – then when others said Chu Lingfeng couldn’t produce handsome sons, he could firmly prove them wrong.

But Chu Lingfeng had maintained a respectful relationship with his wife for many years. Though Lady Chu appeared dignified and generous, she wasn’t one to be trifled with. Otherwise, none of the concubines in the Chu household would be childless. Having no choice, Chu Lingfeng went to plead with the Old Madam, his mother.

Though Lady Chu didn’t particularly value illegitimate sons, they were still of Chu family blood, and it wasn’t good to have one abandoned outside, especially in a place like a brothel. So she went to speak with Lady Chu. The two women spoke in the room for an hour, and when they emerged, Lady Chu personally ordered people to go to the brothel in Zha Prefecture to bring back that illegitimate son.

However, there was no mention of Ye Runmei.

Though the Marquis of Shijin wasn’t all-powerful in the capital, he was still a prominent noble, far above the reach of people in Zha Prefecture. When the letter from Shuo Capital arrived in Zha Prefecture, Ye Runmei could hardly believe her eyes.

She had known Chu Lingfeng couldn’t be ordinary, given his extravagant manner and how different his bearing was from the men of Qin County – his family background must have been considerable. But she never imagined he was the current Marquis of Shijin, someone she wouldn’t have dared dream of in her entire life.

It seemed as if years of endurance and scheming had finally borne sweet fruit at this moment. She held Chu Zhao and wept with joy, “Zilan, your father has come to take us home, we can go home now…”

Chu Zhao silently allowed the woman’s excited tears to fall on his neck, his young face showing indifference beyond his years.

Home? Who could be sure this wasn’t just jumping from one fire pit into another?

After all, during these years in the brothel, all the men he’d seen were greedy and vicious, all the women foolish and weak. There was no difference.

But Ye Runmei didn’t think this way. She spent all her savings buying beautiful clothes and jewelry, dressing Chu Zhao like a young master from a wealthy family, and adorning herself to look as alluring as a flower. Looking at herself in the mirror, she was still beautiful, though her skin was no longer as smooth and delicate as in her youth. The innocence in her eyes was gone, no longer showing the charming manner of years past.

She began to cry – the spring scenery remained the same, but the beauty had aged.

And the gentleman who had promised to marry her still hadn’t come.

Ye Runmei thought, that since Chu Lingfeng was the Marquis of Shijin, he certainly wouldn’t marry her, but becoming his concubine would be fine too. Her son was also the Marquis of Shijin’s son. She had spent years reading people’s faces in the brothel, living too bitterly. Being an official’s concubine would still be more noble than being a courtesan here.

She wanted to make herself especially attractive, to tell Chu Lingfeng pitifully about all the hardships she had endured for him these years, to tell him how resolutely she had loved him. Ye Runmei cleverly thought that all men, upon hearing a beauty had pined for them so devotedly, would surely feel pleased, and this pleasure would make them more tender and loving toward that beauty, demonstrating their heroic affection.

She wouldn’t miss this opportunity. She wanted to regain Chu Lingfeng’s favor – even as a concubine, she would be the one who attracted him most among his concubines.

But Ye Runmei hadn’t expected that Chu Lingfeng wouldn’t come.

Instead, two old women and several servant girls arrived, looking down at Ye Runmei with undisguised contempt in their eyes, as if even looking at her would sully their sight.

The lead old woman asked, “Where is Young Master Chu?”

Ye Runmei felt humiliated and wanted to rage, but in the end, she put on a humble smile. “He’s… he’s in the next room changing clothes.” She had instructed Chu Zhao beforehand to wear that jade hairpin, to appear refined and lovable.

“Perfect,” the old woman said with a cold smile, eyes downcast.

A sense of unease flashed through Ye Runmei’s heart. She asked, “What are you going to do?”

One old woman came over and pulled her arms behind her, while another servant girl covered her mouth with a handkerchief. Ye Runmei’s eyes widened as she realized what they intended to do to her. She struggled desperately, crying out in shock and anger, “How dare you… how dare you! Aren’t you afraid of what Lord Chu will do when he finds out? Lord Chu will kill you!”

The old woman looked at her coldly, her smile carrying bone-chilling frost, “We servants wouldn’t dare make such a major decision without the Master’s permission. Miss Mei—” she used Ye Runmei’s brothel name, “How could we, the household of the Marquis of Shijin, accommodate a prostitute who has served thousands? Are you trying to bring shame to the Master, or to your son?”

Ye Runmei struggled desperately, but her delicate frame was no match for them, and gradually her strength failed.

“Keeping the son but removing the mother is already a mercy granted to you.”

Ye Runmei’s legs gradually stopped kicking, and she fell stiff and straight to the ground, her eyes wide open.

She had waited a lifetime for her husband, joyfully thinking she had endured through to the end, only to await her death.

Chu Zhao had properly inserted the hairpin and spent a long time examining himself in the mirror before walking with measured steps to his mother’s room. He intended to knock but hesitated as he reached out, first gently pushing the door open a crack, wanting to see what this “father” looked like.

Then he saw two old women holding Ye Runmei like a dead pig, hanging a white silk rope from the ceiling beam, forcing her head into the noose. Ye Runmei’s face was turned toward the door, her gaze meeting his.

Adorned with pearls and jade, beautiful in rouge and powder, she died with hatred, eyes refusing to close.

He stumbled back a step, covering his mouth to prevent himself from crying out.

The people in the room were still talking.

“Beautiful she may be, but how could she be so stupid to hope to enter the household? Didn’t she realize no noble family would take a brothel woman as a concubine?”

“After all, she came from a humble background, not understanding what it means to keep the son but remove the mother. If she had just stayed in Qin County back then, she might have at least kept her life.”

“Tch, it all comes down to greed.”

Chu Zhao slowly backed away, step by step, until he was far enough from that door, then suddenly turned and ran wildly. He ran into some unknown household’s room, tightly closed the door, and gritted his teeth as tears silently flowed.

It seemed a woman’s voice fell upon his ears, carrying rare tenderness.

“Wearing splendid clothes like flowers, brilliant and endless. From now on, you’ll be called Ah Zhao, and one day, our Ah Zhao will be like the Cloud God, wearing magnificent clothes, beautiful on the outside, brilliance without end.”

“As for your courtesy name, let’s call you Zilan. The orchids are graceful, their fragrance spreading far. Mother used to love orchids the most.”

He had responded innocently, trying to please: “In the future, Ah Zhao will buy many, many orchids for Mother.”

The woman’s laughter gradually faded away, and his gaze fell on the flower basket before him.

The furnace fire gave off a slight warmth. Chu Zhao paused for a moment, then threw the flower basket on the table into it. The flames licked at the basket, and in just a moment, the sugar syrup flowed everywhere, giving off a burnt sweetness.

He walked away expressionlessly.