After two days, the Ministry of Works ordered Mo Zi to inspect the shipyard in Hua Zhou and meet with the local officials. Mo Zi delegated his affairs to Doctor Qi and the others, then set out lightly equipped with Zan Jin and Ding Gou. They boarded at Hongyu and sailed toward the rendezvous point with Xiao Wei and the others—Zhou Town.

A’Yue and A’Hao couldn’t be brought along, as this was a secret mission. Moreover, since Aunty Jiao had seized their nest like a cuckoo, the true loyalty of those two remained to be tested. However, Mo Zi had a strategy—she separated them from Aunty Jiao and sent them to Bai He. Bai He had become quite familiar with the pair and was kindhearted, so hopefully she could help them see sense.

“Ding Gou, when you returned to the Yuan Mansion the other day, were Aunty Jiao and the others still there?” Mo Zi asked as they neared the town. They’d said they’d stay two days, yet had remained for over a month.

“Yes. I happened to hear the Chief Steward tell them that the master had left the capital with His Majesty. Seems they hadn’t heard about this at all—Aunty Jiao’s face darkened on the spot. That young lady who usually appears so pleasant and amiable, after the Chief Steward left—” Ding Gou deliberately paused, glancing at Mo Zi.

“What? Did she lose her temper?” Truth be told, Qiu Shuang was quite inscrutable. After initially suffering setbacks at the Yuan Mansion, she neither made a fuss nor complained, staying quietly in the modest courtyard in a less desirable location—far more composed than Aunty Jiao who would throw fits at the drop of a hat.

“No. She remained pleasant and amiable.” Seeing that she indeed asked, Ding Gou chuckled. “She even urged Aunty Jiao to calm down, saying this was Master Yuan’s home and he’d always return. She also said that Master Yuan bore important responsibilities, had His Majesty’s trust, and was the Yuan family’s hope for clearing their name. And so on.”

“A ‘you can run from the monk but not the temple’ strategy?” Suddenly, Mo Zi felt like laughing. This woman was not easy to deal with. If she had two faces—one public, one private—at least people could find reasons to dislike her. Being so virtuous and sensible, even maintaining such understanding in private, she might just be that legendary type of truly magnanimous and tolerant principal wife.

“Aunty Jiao said this to Qiu Shuang: ‘As long as you can truly tolerate that Song Mo Zi, I don’t mind. After all, men having three or four wives is quite normal. But you must keep her in check, lest she monopolize Cheng’er and leave you in an empty chamber.'” After mimicking Aunty Jiao’s words, Ding Gou imitated Qiu Shuang: “‘I see she has a good temperament and is truly capable. If the master likes her, I’ll certainly bring them together. Equal wives would be fine—neither surpassing the other, and then we’d all be one family.'”

“If that’s her true nature, it would be good.” Mo Zi thought to herself that Qiu Shuang conformed better to this society’s norms than she did. Unfortunately, no matter how good, she couldn’t tolerate sharing a husband. Because she wasn’t that good.

“What sincerity? She’s under someone else’s roof and has to bow her head.” Ding Gou scoffed, then added for her benefit, “Those two are both martial artists. Can’t rule out that they’re saying things for ears like mine to hear, hoping it’ll reach you or the master and earn them favor. Equal wives? If you were with her, she’d probably eliminate you within days. That sword at her waist isn’t for show. I’ve made inquiries—the Nanhua Sword Sect’s master has three sons and one daughter, all talented in martial arts. The youngest daughter, Qiu Shuang, is known in the martial world as the Flawless Immortal. She wields the Seven Petals Sword Flower technique and is quite skilled—not just relying on her father’s reputation. Though she’s of marriageable age, she’s proud and haughty, declaring she won’t marry within the martial world, which is why no marriage has been settled. Don’t harbor false hopes. A strong-willed martial woman like her is bound to be domineering—one mountain cannot contain two tigers.”

Mo Zi smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m domineering too.” We’ll see who can out-dominate whom.

Ding Gou looked her up and down, left and right. “You deal with wood all day—you call that domineering?”

Mo Zi was about to retort when Chou Yu shouted from over there about a school of fish on the river. She immediately ran off to watch the fish.

Ding Gou looked at Zan Jin beside him. “Brother, heartbroken, aren’t you?”

Except when sleeping or in places they couldn’t go like the Imperial Palace, the two were almost inseparable from Mo Zi. Even when they couldn’t be seen, that didn’t mean they weren’t there. So when Yuan Cheng proposed marriage, they’d heard everything clearly. Zan Jin had been rather silent since then.

“Not heartbroken, just a bit uncomfortable, but also happy. When she’s happy, I’m happy.” Zan Jin’s feelings for Mo Zi were simple—utter devotion, closer than kin.

“I call you smart, but sometimes you’re still foolish.” Ding Gou shook his head. “Still, fools have their fortune—you might have a romantic encounter someday.”

Zan Jin was far from foolish. He laughed. “You’d better worry about yourself instead of me. I noticed you seem quite interested in that Qiu Shuang. Your eyes lit right up at first sight. You clearly know a lot about her, yet claim you ‘made inquiries.’ If you say it’s for Brother Mo’s sake, I wasn’t born yesterday. Could it be you had designs on her before and got rejected? After all, you do move in martial circles, even if you hide alone in the mountains.”

“Ha! Me get rejected by her? More like I rejected her.” Realizing this was misleading, Ding Gou coughed twice. “I’ve met her, but that was at an inter-sect martial competition—I didn’t have much impression of her. Her father proposed a match, which my master declined on my behalf. That’s all there is to it.”

“Her vow not to marry within the martial world—could it be because you provoked her?” Mo Zi, having finished watching the fish, had been eavesdropping behind Zan Jin and now poked her head out.

An interesting connection indeed.

“How could that be?! Impossible. She just has that difficult temperament.” Some martial women were too headstrong. “That’s why I’m warning you to be careful.”

“If she knew you were at the Yuan Mansion, she might go crazy.” These two were currently avoiding each other like enemies. “Seeing her interested in Yuan Cheng now, doesn’t it bother you?”

“No.” Ding Gou fell silent—he’d said too much. Mo Zi was smiling slyly, like a wild horse freed from its reins the moment she boarded the ship—no one could control her. Qiu Shuang’s feelings for Yuan Cheng were hard to read. Outwardly very polite, with intentions of drawing closer, her words and actions all governed by reason—nothing more. Not as intense as Xiang Shiyi, nor as steady and patient as Mo Zi herself.

“How about when we return, you help me seduce her?” Her nature was turning wicked too.

Ding Gou was startled by her words. “Is that something a young lady should say?”

“If you succeed in seducing her, I’ll increase your wages.” Strike the snake at its seventh inch. “Then your little sister’s dowry would be secured.”

“…” He began to waver. Poor in wealth, but not in ambition—though short of breath.

“I’m not forcing you. If you like her, give it a try. If you don’t, forget it.” She wasn’t arranging marriages. Like Zan Jin’s observation, Ding Gou seemed overly enthusiastic upon seeing Qiu Shuang again.

“Someone’s coming—an inner guard.”

On this ship, besides Chou Yu, Old Guan, and the others, the rest were all elite inner guards hand-picked by Huayi who, after a month of training, were serving as crew.

Having tossed this ticking time bomb to him, she herself callously cast it from her mind. Moreover… upon further reflection, perhaps leaving Aunty Jiao and Qiu Shuang in the cold for two months would make them sensibly depart. After all, what was the point of staying in a place without its master?

Zhou Town was a port town south of the Ya River, not far from the capital. Mo Zi had the ship dock at the wharf, then found Xiao Wei and two others at a nearby small tavern.

To avoid detection, the four had left the capital at different times with different excuses. After Yang Qiao went to offer incense with her mother, she claimed illness and had been “recuperating quietly” at a villa for a full month. Wei Jia had left early, taking his team of archers to “train in the mountains.” Xiao Wei had traveled with the Emperor but was given an excuse to separate from the main party and move freely.

“Big Brother, Little Sister is late again.” She flashed Xiao Wei a smile.

“Cousin-in-law… please don’t be angry with me.” This was directed at Yang Qiao.

Wei Jia’s mouth fell open, his refined image completely ruined.

“Cousin Jia, don’t just stand there dumbfounded—say something nice for me.”

Taking their assigned roles.

After Mo Zi sat down, Wei Jia lowered his voice: “That’s not right. It should be you and Bai Yu as husband and wife, with Yang Qiao and me as siblings. Did you mix it up?”

“Hmm? No, I heard the exact opposite.” Mo Zi was in her element out here, lifting the pot to pour tea, not at all reserved like Yang Qiao.

“That’s strange then. The three of us just confirmed it… how did it change when it got to you?” Wei Jia only knew Mo Zi’s clever side, not her cunning, and assumed the Emperor had made an error in transmitting the orders.

“Perhaps His Majesty reconsidered.” Mo Zi smiled somewhat mischievously, tilting her head toward Xiao Wei. “Do he and I look like husband and wife? One dark, one fair; one stern, one impoverished—the typical image of a rigid older brother and mischievous younger sister. You and Sister Qiao are much more suitable—both lively personalities with plenty to talk about. Newlywed couples should appear sweet and affectionate, not incompatible. Otherwise, people will see through the act at a glance, and we might as well turn back to the capital now to avoid future suffering.” Objectively speaking, she was completely correct.

Wei Jia looked at her, then at Xiao Wei, going back and forth several times, and was actually persuaded. “That’s true. Bai Yu, why aren’t you your usual self? Since Miss Mo Chou married, you haven’t been out having fun either. Are you heartbroken over romance?”

Heartbroken over romance? How ridiculous. Mo Zi suppressed a smile as she sipped her tea.

“Though you’re in charge on the ship, these matters are mine to decide.” Xiao Wei was somewhat annoyed that Wei Jia had brought Mo Chou into this, and seeing Mo Zi’s secret smile made his expression even worse. “Who plays the married couple and who the siblings—I don’t care. We’ll do as Mo Zi suggests. Wei Jia, Miss Yang, you two will be husband and wife. Well then, since everyone’s here, let’s board the ship as soon as possible.”

With that, he heavily placed several copper coins on the table and rose to walk outside.

Wei Jia muttered, “Acting like this, he really doesn’t seem newly married—more like he’s being forced into marriage.”

Yang Qiao burst out laughing.

Wei Jia’s eyes brightened. “Sister Qiao, Brother Jia greets you.”

Yang Qiao was quite gracious, returning the courtesy. “Brother Jia is a bit sickly-sweet. I’ll call you Wei Lang.”

“Hey—wolf?” Mo Zi laughed until her eyes watered. “Poor little lamb that you are.” Yang, lamb—the pun worked.

Only then did Yang Qiao blush crimson, stammering incoherently, and came at her in playful protest.

Mo Zi circled behind Wei Jia, using him as a shield.

The three laughed and tussled, truly like a family.

Someone came to stand beside Xiao Wei—his steadfast military adviser Zhong An, now playing the role of accountant. Zhong An said, “This journey’s going to be lively. Bai Yu, could you cheer up a bit? You don’t look like a groom at all—more like their father.”

Talk about pouring salt in the wound—he was immediately swept with a cold glare from Young General Xiao.