The ancients often spoke of the mournful cry of the wild geese and the blood-stained tears of the cuckoo. This was exactly what Zhangsun’s letter represented. Throughout the entire letter, there was not a single phrase written from a position of superiority. It was simply written from the perspective of a mother asking her student for help. When this letter was written, it was clear that nothing had yet happened to Wei Tianjue. She merely hoped Yun Ye could warn Wei Tianjue to be cautious in his affairs and never to act arrogantly. If Yun Ye could bring Wei Tianjue back with him when returning to the capital, that would be even better.

Yun Ye closed Zhangsun’s handwritten letter and looked down to ask the messenger, “Can you still run? From here, riding a horse will be faster than a large ship traveling upstream.”

“In response to the Marquis, this humble general can run. As long as it can bring Her Majesty peace of mind sooner, I would willingly run myself to death.” Yun Ye nodded, returned to the cabin and immediately wrote a reply, sealing it with wax and placing it in a leather tube before handing it to the messenger. After letting him verify the wax seal, he sent him ashore where his companion was waiting with horses by the riverbank.

After watching the messenger’s figure disappear, Yun Ye turned back to Wu She and said, “Am I too softhearted? She doesn’t even trust me anymore, yet I’m still helping her think of solutions. Really!”

“This is the one thing about you that people like. When facing loyalty and righteousness, you’re willing to bow down. How many heroes have wanted to achieve this, only to be deluded by selfish desires and end up becoming heartless and faithless? Ask anyone around you—has anyone ever doubted your sense of loyalty and righteousness? Even in the most dangerous times, why else would they follow you through life and death? Over these years, how much wealth has passed through the Yun family’s hands—has even one person embezzled anything? Over these years, through the Yun family’s rises and falls, when surrounded and attacked by others, has even one person betrayed you? No, right?”

“Old He, Old Liu, Little Ying—are these the kind of people a small marquis manor like yours could retain? Isn’t it loyalty and righteousness that binds them here? I know you’re clever, but clever people are mostly heartless. You’ve done very well—your clever mind has never been used against your own people. That’s already rare. Even rarer is that you, a clever person, are willing to do foolish things for loyalty and righteousness. This old man likes the Yun family’s household tradition—peaceful and content, undisturbed by favor or disgrace. Retiring in your household wouldn’t be bad at all. At least I won’t be driven out when I’m old and frail. Young man, do your work well, be a good person. As long as you need us, we’ll do everything we can to help you. Good children deserve good rewards.”

Wu She started speaking with a smile, but his expression became very solemn toward the end. He looked quite serious.

Since the decision had already been made, Yun Ye didn’t overthink it. Since his family and friends all supported him in doing this, why waste mental energy? Instead of exhausting himself worrying, he might as well play a game of five-in-a-row with Lingdang.

The fleet returned to Chang’an three days later. The Ba River was quite annoying now—there was actually a traffic jam of boats. Ten li away from Chang’an, the river surface was blocked solid by boats of all sizes.

They were all merchant vessels. Listening to the cursing in various dialects from the blocked merchant ships, Yun Ye was delighted. He finally experienced the crowding of the afterlife. Wonderful! In his past life, he never had a chance to exercise special privileges. Now he finally had the opportunity. I’m a warship, a marquis—I have priority rights.

The deep ox horn sounded, and the military drums began beating. The warship charged straight toward the already narrow waterway without hesitation. A water patrol inspector positioned his small boat across the waterway entrance as if to intercept the warship, frantically waving both arms and shouting something loudly. Yun Ye, whose playful spirit was greatly aroused, didn’t care what he was shouting. Just as the large ship was about to collide with the small sampan, the inspector cried out and jumped into the river. The towering war vessel immediately rolled over the sampan. After the large ship passed, only the inspector struggling in the water and some wooden debris remained on the river surface.

“What’s gotten into the Commander?” Lai Chuanfeng quietly asked Liu Jinbao. Both were rough men who always got along well.

“The Commander suffered a loss and feels he’s been greatly wronged, so he needs to get some of it back. It’s always like this. Whenever he does something foolish, he inexplicably vents for a while. You haven’t been following our Marquis for long yet. After more time, you’ll find it nothing strange.”

Lai Chuanfeng nodded in deep agreement. The Commander was unhappy. Since the Commander was unhappy, that meant the entire navy wouldn’t be happy either. If they were going to vent, they should vent together—they couldn’t let only the Commander have all the fun.

Cries for help echoed everywhere along the waterway. Of course, there was no shortage of cursing either. All the boats scrambled to move aside. Many ships had already run aground. Seeing the fierce-looking soldiers at the bow, they could only swallow their curses and crane their necks to see which other unlucky souls were there—at least they weren’t the only ones suffering.

On a tall pleasure boat, Lu Dongzan was being welcomed by officials from the Court of Diplomatic Receptions. On the return journey, he too was stuck here. Hearing the loud commotion outside and the sound of war drums, he couldn’t help but lift the gauze curtain of the pleasure boat to look out. He saw a long line of giant ships arrogantly approaching from behind. Looking up, he saw that behind the Flying Tiger flag, the commander’s flag bore a large character “Yun.” He knew that the Marquis surnamed Yun whom he had offended had returned. Smiling, he asked the Junior Minister of the Court of Diplomatic Receptions, “Minister Zhang, I observe that fleet flying a flag with the character Yun. Is that Marquis Yun Ye of Lantian?”

Zhang Keji of the Court of Diplomatic Receptions heard this and looked out. His face paled as he quickly lowered the gauze curtain and ordered the boatman to move aside quickly—running aground didn’t matter.

“Why such alarm, Junior Minister? After all, he’s just a frivolous youngster. Why worry?” Lu Dongzan saw Yun Ye at the bow, jumping and shouting while slapping the railing. Aside from Yun Ye, no one else would wear a purple-gold crown.

“The Great Minister laughs at me. Marquis Yun is returning victorious from Dongting Lake, precisely at the height of his pride. A hundred thousand water bandits subdued in one battle—meritorious to the nation and beneficial to the state. At such a time, when the officers and soldiers return in great triumph, a small disturbance means nothing.”

“So it was just bandit suppression. With such warships, destroying a hundred thousand bandits isn’t strange at all. This small achievement makes the youngster so beside himself?” Lu Dongzan continued to press.

Zhang Keji replied seriously, “The Great Minister speaks wrongly. Marquis Yun is a valiant general of our dynasty. Back in Liaodong, within one month he annihilated stubborn enemies, conquered fortified cities, penetrated deep into Goguryeo territory with an isolated army to retrieve the remains of our fallen soldiers from the previous dynasty, and finally returned with his entire force intact. Such achievements have long been well-known throughout the Great Tang. How can the Great Minister slight him?”

Seeing Zhang Keji actually become angry, Lu Dongzan smiled without answering, thinking to himself: Such an incompetent fool is worthy of being my enemy? I’ve wasted these past days worrying about how to respond if Yun Ye came demanding justice. Such a wastrel—if my Tubo warriors gave one great shout, he’d probably wet his pants. To be compared with such a person is truly the greatest shame of my life.

The warships forcibly squeezed out a passage through the cluster of boats, destroyed the inspection station of the River Patrol Bureau, and sailed away with great fanfare. The navy camp on the Ba River was not far ahead.

Those who came to welcome them were startled. A long line of warships had squeezed through from the densely packed river surface and arrived in no time. Zhangsun, sitting in the imperial carriage, ground her silver teeth audibly. How could she not understand that Yun Ye had done this deliberately?

This triumphant return was quite grand. The beauties from the Palace Teaching Bureau danced with their long sleeves. In the regulated call-and-response ghost dance, for every question, the soldiers would shout a response. With each reply, the Teaching Bureau beauties danced more energetically. Their swaying, graceful waists left the rough soldiers stunned and drooling.

Unfortunately, Yun Ye couldn’t appreciate it. Just as he disembarked with wild laughter, two robust women, strong as oxen, grabbed him and threw him into an imperial carriage. This wouldn’t do—this was the Empress’s carriage. Even if it cost him his life, Yun Ye wouldn’t dare act wildly there. He grasped the carriage railing, trying to get down, but a delicate jade hand reached out from behind the curtain and pulled him in by the ear.

The carriage was large, like a small room. Inside stood an old eunuch and an old maidservant smiling at him. He had thought it was Zhangsun who pulled his ear, but it was her personal maid. Just as he was about to get angry, he heard Zhangsun give a low hum. Yun Ye immediately stood at the entrance with his hands at his sides. From that soft hum, he could already tell that Zhangsun was very angry.

“Wonderful! What an impressive, mighty general! Oh wait, you’re not quite a great general yet—at most you’re a middling general. What’s this? Haven’t had your fill of commanding great armies at Dongting Lake? Must you relive it once more in Chang’an?”

“Why don’t you use those catapults and eight-ox crossbows on your ships? Perhaps you could reenact the battle achievements you made at Dongting Lake right now. How impressive that would be!”

He hadn’t expected Zhangsun to come. Zhangsun hearing about Yun Ye’s arrogance and personally witnessing Yun Ye’s arrogance were two different concepts. At this moment, it was better to obediently accept the lesson.

Who would have thought that after just two sentences, Zhangsun would take out her handkerchief and begin to cry? She spoke of how good she had been to Yun Ye, then of how heartless and ungrateful he was. Since he had captured the divine man Han Zhe, why didn’t he cut off his head at the first opportunity? Why did he insist on sending a living person to Chang’an? Now that he had been rescued by his accomplices, the consequences were endless. The Crown Prince, Prince Wei, and Prince Wu would never be at peace again. There was a hidden danger of fraternal strife. When she reached the most sorrowful part, she actually said she had been blind—how could she have taught such a scoundrel as Yun Ye?

If Zhangsun had scolded him, Yun Ye could have resisted somewhat. Now that she was crying and cursing at the same time, this was hard to handle. His head felt as big as a winnowing basket, countless golden stars flew before his eyes. He desperately wanted to shout, but didn’t dare. That old eunuch’s eyes were already glinting wildly—if he dared to act recklessly, he would certainly be seized and hung on a flagpole.

“Your Majesty, please be reasonable! Han Zhe couldn’t be beheaded the moment we met. They aren’t just one person or two people, but a large group. Their power is beyond your imagination. Only now do I understand that Shang Yang, Pang Juan, Sun Bin, Chao Cuo—all these people, all these events have their shadows in them. Without getting answers, how can we proceed? Some questions I have no way of asking—they need His Majesty to ask personally. I still want to keep my head and make a living. I don’t want to die young.”

“That Wei Tianjue confidently assured me there was no problem, that even if a million bandits came, he could handle them. Who knew that just a few hundred people would easily finish him off? He also had eighty percent of his bones shattered and was left there to be humiliated. How dare I say the person His Majesty sent was incompetent? Besides, didn’t I send you a letter? Why are you still not letting me off?”