And so they settled into life at the Luo family residence.

Shen Xin and Shen Qiu were men who couldn’t stay idle. Every day, they trained soldiers at the Luo family’s modest training grounds outside the residence. They trained what remained of the Shen family’s former troops, who were originally just kitchen soldiers. Being drilled daily by Shen Xin made them miserable, and Shen Xin himself trained with frustration.

Luo Xuenyan busied herself visiting relatives and friends; Xiaochun City was where she had spent her childhood and girlhood, and she had many close friends here. She took Shen Miao out daily to visit old acquaintances, and somehow, Shen Miao became acquainted with many noble ladies.

Initially, everyone had been meticulously attentive to the delicate young lady from Ming Qi. They prepared the most carefully selected foods, used the finest silk threads, created desserts in endless varieties, and even pruned the flowers and plants more exquisitely than before. In the past, those officials’ daughters who came from the capital to Xiaochun City all had somewhat temperamental personalities, so everyone feared they might accidentally displease Shen Miao. Unexpectedly, after living there for some time, they discovered their previous concerns were unnecessary. Shen Miao adapted extremely well to Xiaochun City and didn’t require any special treatment. Xiaochun City occasionally experienced hailstorms, and when Shen Miao witnessed them, she merely showed curiosity without fear.

As time passed, the Luo family gradually lowered their guard with this young cousin. Of the four young members of the Luo family, Luo Ling and Luo Sa had already begun duties in the city guard and weren’t seen often. Luo Tang and Luo Qian spent more time at home. Luo Tang made peace with Shen Miao after receiving a Western mirror from her, while Luo Qian, naturally lively, much like a grown-up Su Minglang, constantly pestered Shen Miao to tell stories about the capital.

In Xiaochun City, Shen Miao didn’t need to think about Fu Xiuyi, and her mind became considerably clearer. She treated Luo Qian like a younger brother.

On this day, Luo Qian and Luo Tang came to Shen Miao’s courtyard to find her. Xiaochun City wasn’t like the capital, where one could go shopping. In the capital, there were so many shops, large and small, that one couldn’t finish exploring them in months. Xiaochun City was small, and after a few days of exploration, there was nothing left to see. Shen Miao stayed in the residence, and Luo Qian and Luo Tang, finding it boring, came to talk with her.

Luo Qian munched on southern-style desserts made especially for Shen Miao by the kitchen while saying, “Yesterday I went to the training grounds to watch Cousin Qiu train troops. Although those soldiers aren’t much, Cousin Qiu’s martial skills are impressive. Even Guard Mo beside Cousin Qiu—I couldn’t last a few moves against him. Cousin, could you ask Cousin Qiu to teach me a few techniques?”

Shen Miao smiled, “If you want to learn, just ask Big Brother directly. He will certainly agree.”

“Really?” Luo Qian, with a youth’s nature, immediately brightened. Strangely enough, young gentlemen from the capital were mostly arrogant, yet they often displayed a shrewdness beyond their years due to their many experiences. The Luo family youngsters were different. Take Luo Qian, for instance—sincere and straightforward, with a youthful innocence that easily endeared him to others.

“Cousin,” Luo Qian, who felt quite close to this beautiful and gentle young cousin, already considered her one of their own, and said, “Cousin Qiu’s martial arts are truly magnificent to watch. Is he the best in the capital? No, no, no—he must be the best in all of Ming Qi! Big Brother and Second Brother’s skills are outstanding here, but they still lost to Cousin Qiu.”

Luo Tang, who had been flipping through a picture book on the side, finally couldn’t bear it any longer. Biting into an orange, she glared at Luo Qian, “Are you stupid? So ignorant! Don’t say you’re from the Luo family, and don’t say I’m your sister. You’re embarrassing.”

Luo Tang and Luo Qian bickered daily, and Shen Miao was accustomed to it. Sure enough, upon hearing this, Luo Qian immediately retorted indignantly, “What do you know! How am I ignorant? Are you suggesting Cousin Qiu isn’t the best?”

“Shen in the north, Xie in the south,” Luo Tang drawled lazily.

Shen Miao started. Luo Tang was already nodding smugly, “Everyone knows the two great martial families of Ming Qi. One is Aunt and Uncle’s mighty General Shen family, and the other is the Xie family of the Marquis of Lin’an. Cousin Qiu is the Shen family’s talent, but I’ve heard that the young Marquis of the Xie family is also extraordinarily gifted. Grandfather once had the fortune to meet the young Marquis Xie, and afterward said that this youth was no ordinary person—that one day he would soar like a dragon through the nine heavens.”

“Grandfather… met the young Marquis Xie?” Shen Miao asked hesitantly.

Luo Qian also said, “Yes, Sister, how come I didn’t know about this?”

“All you know is eating, eating, eating—how would you know?” Luo Tang rolled her eyes at Luo Qian and continued, “I heard it was when they were discussing military strategies with the Marquis of Lin’an. In the tent, Grandfather happened to meet the young Marquis Xie. After seeing him, Grandfather sighed in admiration. I originally wanted to inquire further, but Grandfather told me to stay away from him, saying that the young Marquis Xie was a dangerous person not to be trifled with.”

Shen Miao lowered her eyes. She hadn’t known that Luo Sui had met Xie Jingxing. Before she could even free herself from her thoughts, she heard Luo Tang ask, “Little Cousin, speaking of which, you also grew up in the capital. You must have seen the young Marquis Xie, right?”

Shen Miao paused, then nodded.

“What does he look like?” Luo Tang grabbed Shen Miao’s arm. “Is he as devastatingly handsome as rumors say, with the bearing of an immortal? Is he even more handsome than Brother Ling?”

The “Brother Ling” she mentioned naturally referred to Luo Ling. Among the three sons of the Luo family, Luo Ling was gentle, Luo Sa was violent, and Luo Qian was lively—all with handsome features. However, because Luo Ling was the most gentle, he appeared to be the most “handsome” one.

Shen Miao said, “Not as handsome as Cousin Ling.”

“What?” Luo Tang released her grip, her eyes filled with disappointment. “But I heard people say that the young Marquis Xie has excellent looks and is most romantic in temperament. Women who glimpse him once are said to become infatuated. Is he not as good as Brother Ling?”

Luo Qian gleefully watched her distress, “For men, what matters most is naturally ability, not appearance. Besides, even if that so-called young Marquis Xie were looking for a wife, he certainly wouldn’t choose someone like you.” Luo Qian smiled at Shen Miao, “He would naturally seek a radiant and gentle young lady like our little cousin.”

Luo Tang and Luo Qian immediately began to quarrel.

Shen Miao watched the siblings argue with her hand on her forehead, feeling somewhat helpless. She hadn’t expected that even in Xiaochun City, Xie Jingxing’s fame would spread so far. She thought of Xie Jingxing’s journey to the northern frontier, which must have been completed by now. It was his first time leading troops into battle as a young commander. Although she knew of Xie Jingxing’s skill in warfare, remembering his fate in her previous life still made her heart constrict.

Enough, Shen Miao shook her head, driving away those strange thoughts. Previously, she had assumed Xie Jingxing’s greatest talent was in military tactics and formations, but in this life, after crossing paths with him, she discovered his true expertise was in moving pieces behind the scenes. A person with such a steady mind and brilliant intellect would surely be able to turn misfortune into a blessing.

Time flew by, and Luo Tang and Luo Qian remained at Shen Miao’s place until dusk. The sky began to darken. During August and September in Xiaochun City, while the grasslands outside the city were dry, the city itself often experienced heavy rainfall. Unlike the rain in the capital, Xiaochun City’s rain carried the scent of sand and was fierce. Dark clouds nearly obscured the entire sky, making it feel like night had fallen in just a brief moment.

Luo Tang glanced at the sky and said, “Not good, it might hail again.”

“Why haven’t Uncle and the others returned yet?” Luo Qian also stood up with a frown.

Although the Luo family army had disbanded, the city still needed guards. Usually, Luo Lianying and Luo Liantai served in the guard, and since Shen Xin’s arrival, he and Shen Qiu had also joined to help. They typically returned in the evening to have dinner together, but today, they still hadn’t returned by this hour.

Shen Miao glanced outside and suddenly seemed to realize something, her expression changing dramatically.

Seeing Shen Miao’s distress, Luo Tang thought she was afraid and found it strange. She said, “Little Cousin, are you afraid of hail? We had it a few days ago, and you weren’t scared then. Why are you afraid now?” She patted Shen Miao’s shoulder reassuringly, “Don’t be afraid. We’ve lived here for so many years, and hail is common at this time of year. There’s nothing to fear.”

Shen Miao wasn’t comforted; instead, her expression grew increasingly troubled. Seeing this, even the usually nonchalant Luo Qian sensed something was wrong. He looked at Shen Miao with confusion, “Little Cousin, why are you so nervous? Are you worried about Uncle? It’ll be fine.” Just as he finished speaking, shouts came from outside. It was a Luo family servant who, in his haste, had stumbled and fallen. He said, “Young Master, Young Miss, Young Lady, the Madam requests your immediate presence in the hall.”

Luo Tang was startled and frowned, “What happened?”

“The Turks have come to raid again. The Old Master has gone to the grasslands with the two Masters and General Shen. The two young masters are still in the residence. The weather is turning bad; please go to the main hall quickly, Young Miss.” Though the servant was anxious, his manner showed no panic, suggesting this kind of incident had happened many times before, and he had experience with it.

Luo Tang stamped her foot in anger, “Damn those Turks!”

Luo Qian said to Shen Miao, “Little Cousin, come with us first. It’ll be alright.” Even at this moment, he didn’t forget to comfort Shen Miao.

Shen Miao nodded. When they reached the front hall of the Luo residence, many people had already gathered. Madam Yu and Madam Ma were present, and upon seeing the three of them, they both sighed in relief. Madam Ma, perhaps fearing that Shen Miao would be frightened, walked to her side and took her hand, saying, “Jiaojiao, have you never seen such large hail before? Don’t worry, we’ll just chat here for a while. It’s been so long, and Jiaojiao hasn’t told us about the capital yet.” She deliberately avoided mentioning the Turks. Madam Yu, with her gentler personality, also smiled and said, “Yes, we’re having boiled mutton tonight. I wonder if Jiaojiao is accustomed to eating it.”

Xiaochun City was adjacent to the grasslands. When the Turks weren’t raiding, they would trade cattle and sheep for living necessities. The sheep were robust. After slaughtering a fresh sheep and cutting the meat into thin slices, they would set up a small pot. The thin, succulent slices would cook almost instantly upon touching the water. Dipped in a bit of spicy sauce, it was delicious. Luo Tang had previously wanted Shen Miao to try the local boiled mutton but feared she wouldn’t be used to it. Unexpectedly, it was mentioned today.

They were trying to distract Shen Miao from thinking about other matters. Shen Miao smiled gently at Madam Yu. The Luo family always showed their kindness generously.

The Turks’ stronghold was deep in the grasslands. During pursuits, the current manpower of the Luo family army was insufficient. All able-bodied men in the Luo family needed to mobilize, though this year, with Shen Xin’s family, things were somewhat better. Shen Xin, Luo Xuenyan, Shen Qiu, Luo Lianying, and Luo Liantai had all gone, and even Luo Sui had joined them. In Xiaochun City, only the Luo family remained to protect the citizens. Originally, Luo Ling and Luo Sa were to go as well, but since Shen Xin and the others had gone, Luo Ling and Luo Sa stayed in Xiaochun City.

Outside, the sky had darkened. Luo Tang bit her lip tightly, looking agitated. It was frustrating to have outsiders come and steal from one’s home every year.

The hall was mostly filled with women, along with some maids and servants. Bailu and Shuangjiang quietly offered Shen Miao snacks left from noon, encouraging her to eat a little.

A pot had already been set up in the hall, and the kitchen was cutting mutton. The boiling water in the pot began to emit a tantalizing aroma, but at this moment, no one was in the mood to feel happy.

Luo Qian began to feel hungry. Seeing some snacks beside Shen Miao, he walked over and sat down next to her, taking a piece to eat.

Shen Miao stared at him without blinking. Luo Qian felt strange under her gaze and finally scratched his head, unable to help asking, “Little Cousin, why are you staring at me? Are you scared?”

They were sitting far enough from Madam Yu and the others that their conversation couldn’t be overheard. Shen Miao asked, “Cousin Qian, why doesn’t Grandfather want to rebuild the Luo family army?”

Luo Qian was taken aback.

“That day when he heard my words, Grandfather became angry. I fear it’s not just because there’s no money to support the Luo family army. Cousin Qian, can you tell me the reason?”

Luo Qian’s eyes darted around, avoiding Shen Miao’s gaze. He stammered, “What reason could there be? It’s just a lack of money! Little Cousin, don’t overthink it. Without money, how can we build any Luo family army?”

Shen Miao quietly observed him. Her eyes were captivating and crystal clear, without any unnecessary sentiment. It was precisely this frank demeanor that was disarming, making one feel that lying before such eyes would be a desecration.

Luo Qian, being a lively-spirited youth who had a good relationship with Shen Miao, finally surrendered. He lowered his voice, “Little Cousin, this is something our family dares not speak of. But since you’re one of us, I’ll tell you. Just don’t tell anyone else. If my parents found out I told you this, I’d certainly be punished.”

Shen Miao nodded.

“You’re not the first to bring up rebuilding the Luo family army,” Luo Qian said. “The Luo family army truly began to decline shortly after Aunt’s birth. By then, the Luo family was already in decline. Grandfather was unfulfilled in his ambitions. Seeing him gloomy every day, Grandmother suggested revitalizing the Luo family army.”

“Grandfather already had this idea, and when Grandmother mentioned it, he immediately began preparations. But they lacked funds at that time, so Grandmother said exactly what you told Grandfather that day—that troops are raised to gain fame, and once victorious, His Majesty would notice this army and naturally allocate funds, resolving the financial issue. So Grandfather volunteered to lead a border campaign.”

Luo Qian sighed, “As for the result, Little Cousin, you’ve probably guessed. Grandfather was badly defeated, almost becoming a laughingstock. The already declining Luo family army suffered this heavy blow and never recovered. Most importantly, while Grandfather was leading troops into battle, Grandmother fell gravely ill. To let Grandfather focus, Grandmother didn’t allow the family to inform him. By the time Grandfather returned defeated, Grandmother had already passed away.”

“Grandfather has always felt that he failed to fulfill his promise to Grandmother. Even if he were to die now, he would be ashamed to face Grandmother in the afterlife. For so many years, he has refused to rebuild the Luo family army, largely because he lacks the courage to confront his past failure.” Luo Qian put down his snack and looked at Shen Miao, “Little Cousin, I know you want to see the Luo family army regain its glory, but we Luo family members don’t seek fame and prestige. My mother once said, Cherish the people before you. If time could be turned back, Grandfather would surely choose to stay by Grandmother’s side instead of fighting that battle. So, if it makes Grandfather happy, even if the Luo family army continues to decline, it doesn’t matter.”

Shen Miao looked at Luo Qian, somewhat surprised. She hadn’t expected someone as carefree as Luo Qian could express such sentiments. The Luo family’s righteousness and kindness were indeed genuine.

Learning about this past event from Luo Qian, she felt a sense of melancholy. The mighty general’s most devastating defeat in this life—was it due to overconfidence, or uncertainty about the outcome? Shen Miao believed that Luo Sui could have accepted this defeat; what he couldn’t accept was losing his wife. Having chosen military glory over his gravely ill wife, fate had slapped him hard in the face. No wonder Luo Sui’s expression had changed instantly that day when Shen Miao spoke those words—the general was likely reminded of his most secret pain.

“But if things continue to decline, would Grandmother be happy?” Shen Miao suddenly asked.

“Huh?” Luo Qian turned to look at her, somewhat confused.

Shen Miao smiled, “If I admired someone, if he were a hero, I would surely want him to wear the sword he should wear, ride the fierce horse he should ride, lead the bravest troops, and achieve the most pride-worthy merits. I wouldn’t want him to suffer grievances. Grandfather is suffering now; wouldn’t Grandmother be heartbroken if she knew? If it were me, I would be.”

Luo Qian felt dizzy from Shen Miao’s words. Leaving aside everything else, speaking of “admiration” in front of him, a young man, was somewhat startling. Madam Ma had said Shen Miao was a young lady from the capital, delicate and timid, requiring good care, surely with a shy temperament. Now it seemed… where was there any shyness? She appeared even more forthright than Luo Tang!

As he was thinking, a servant shouted from outside, “The eldest young master and the second young master have returned!”

Everyone looked toward the hall entrance to see the two brothers, Luo Ling and Luo Sa. Outside, it was about to rain, and the air was somewhat damp. Their clothes seemed damp, and having just returned from the city guard, they looked rather travel-worn.

Madam Yu first instructed servants to pour tea for them. Luo Sa gulped it down in one go. Luo Tang had already run forward to ask Luo Ling, “Brother Ling, how is it outside?”

“Looking at the sky, it’s going to hail. We’ve already told the citizens to take shelter in their homes. Everything outside is prepared,” Luo Ling answered with a smile. “My brother and I have returned to stand guard here tonight. This hall is sturdy, so there’s no need to worry.”

“What about Father, Uncle, and Grandfather?” Luo Tang persisted.

Luo Sa frowned and said, “They haven’t returned yet.”

Luo Tang wanted to say more, but Luo Ling, seeing Luo Qian and Shen Miao approaching, quickly said, “It’s fine. They’re probably busy tonight and will return tomorrow.” He changed the subject, “It smells good! Are we having boiled mutton tonight? Cousin hasn’t tried these dishes before; I wonder if she’ll like them.”

Shen Miao walked up to Luo Ling. At eighteen, his features resembled the handsome Luo Lianying, though his temperament was as gentle and considerate as Madam Yu’s—completely unlike Luo Sa’s violent, unfriendly nature. Shen Miao asked, “Cousin Ling, has the city guard been properly deployed?”

Luo Ling was surprised, not expecting Shen Miao to ask this, and answered, “Everything is arranged.”

“How many people are in the city guard?” Shen Miao inquired.

This time, even Luo Sa’s gaze fell on Shen Miao.

As the younger generation spoke, Madam Yu and Madam Ma were seated at a distance. Luo Qian asked, “Little Cousin, why are you asking this? Tonight there will be hail, so no one will enter the city.”

“Thirty in the east, thirty in the west, plus ten in the north—about seventy people in total,” Luo Ling patiently replied.

“Are there usually this many people?” Shen Miao asked.

After hesitating, Luo Ling said, “Usually there are more, but today many were taken by Father and the others, so the city guard is reduced. But since nothing happens in the city, seventy people should be sufficient. The weather is bad tonight; my brother is right—no one should enter the city.”

The Luo family army had a limited number of usable men. To pursue the Turks, they naturally took all available personnel, leaving the city guard stretched thin. Of course, Xiaochun City had remained safe for so many years, and the city guard at most helped arrest fugitives or thieves, not particularly vital.

Luo Sa stared at Shen Miao for a while, then suddenly asked, “Are you afraid the Turks will attack the city?”

With this question, everyone was stunned. Luo Tang’s mouth fell open, and Luo Qian asked, “Second Brother, what are you saying? How could the Turks attack the city?”

Luo Sa sneered, staring unblinkingly at Shen Miao, “Didn’t little cousin say on the day she arrived that the Turks have ambition and capability? Why couldn’t they attack? Is this what you fear?”

Luo Sa’s manner was somewhat aggressive. Meeting his sharp gaze, Shen Miao nodded, “Yes, this is what I fear.”

“How is that possible?” Luo Tang exclaimed. “Aside from whether what you said would happen, today Father and Aunt and Uncle have all gone to the grasslands to pursue the Turks. How could the Turks divert their attention to attack Xiaochun City? If they truly had ambitions, wouldn’t an earlier opportunity have been better?”

“The tactic of luring the tiger from the mountain isn’t exclusively used by Ming Qi people,” Shen Miao said calmly. “Though the Turks are nomads, they aren’t fools. Having coexisted with the people of Xiaochun City for so many years, do you think they haven’t learned anything? Even weasels learn to mimic human emotions. As long as the Turks aren’t idiots, they’ve certainly learned by now.”

Shen Miao’s uncharacteristically cold attitude surprised everyone. After a moment of silence, Luo Ling spoke first, “Little Cousin, is this your conjecture, or… information you heard from somewhere?”

Shen Miao had been consistently anxious about Turks attacking the city and was acting very unusually today. Everyone had noticed this peculiarity. Only a fool would fail to see something was amiss. Pure fear was one thing, but if she had obtained information from elsewhere, that was another matter entirely.

“Intuition.”

“Intuition?” Luo Sa laughed without anger, “Little Cousin, this is no time for jokes.”

“Have the two brothers, after serving in the city guard for so many years, not understood the principle of preventing troubles before they happen?” Shen Miao’s expression grew solemn, the gentleness in her eyes receding, gradually replaced by determination. She said, “If the Turks truly attack, being prepared in advance would naturally be beneficial for all. If they don’t attack and Xiaochun City avoids disaster, wouldn’t that also be a good thing? Must a catastrophe occur before preparations are made? If you don’t understand even this principle, it’s no wonder the Luo family is declining.”

“You—” Luo Sa flared up in anger. Luo Tang and Luo Qian’s expressions also darkened.

Luo Ling, however, stared at Shen Miao for a while. His expression unchanged, still as gentle as before, he bowed slightly to her and said, “Little Cousin is right. We were stupid. But with the city guard’s insufficient manpower, that’s an undeniable fact. In Little Cousin’s opinion, what should be done?”

Though his words seemed to be seeking advice, he was challenging her to solve a thorny problem—testing her abilities. Shen Miao inwardly smiled; this gentle cousin wasn’t as accommodating as he appeared on the surface.

She said, “If we’ve reached this point, manpower cannot be increased out of nowhere. The Turks come prepared; naturally, we are no match for them. I am, after all, just a woman, ignorant of martial arts. Rather than risking danger, it’s better to protect ourselves. Cousin Ling, wouldn’t it be better to gather more guards at the Luo family’s gates to protect the residence? If there’s truly a problem, at least we can hold out for a while.”

Her slippery answer left everyone stunned again. After speaking so passionately, how could she now show such a helpless demeanor? For a moment, the young Luo family members couldn’t understand Shen Miao’s meaning.

Luo Sa was the most frustrated. He wanted to explode at Shen Miao but couldn’t find a reason, so he sat to the side with a face full of anger.

Luo Ling gave Shen Miao a meaningful look and, unexpectedly, said, “Then let’s do as Little Cousin suggests.”

Everyone sat down again in the hall. For some reason, after Shen Miao’s words, the atmosphere had become somewhat rigid. Even Luo Qian and Luo Tang seemed tense. Only Madam Ma and Madam Yu remained oblivious, still directing the kitchen staff.

As darkness completely fell, a guard of Luo Ling’s requested an audience. Luo Ling allowed him in. The guard, with an anxious expression, whispered something in Luo Ling’s ear. Luo Ling’s face changed drastically, and he suddenly looked at Shen Miao.

Shen Miao was leisurely sipping her tea.