Shaoshang’s return to Changqiu Palace indeed spared her a scolding, but facing the Empress’s self-reproachful gaze, she thought she’d rather have been scolded instead.

The Empress said nothing at the time, but the next day her eyes were red and swollen from crying. She kept thinking how Shaoshang had been lively and energetic when leaving that morning, yet returned in such a state. Had Ling Buyi not rescued her in time, wouldn’t her life have been lost?

Shaoshang felt greatly wronged—this assignment had originally been very safe. The Liang estate wasn’t a den of dragons and tigers, and Ling Buyi had added a heap of combat-ready guards outside the study pavilion. With this level of security, who could have known that fool Liang Xia would become desperate? To divert the Empress’s attention, Shaoshang quickly sent someone to the Eastern Palace to fetch the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

Ever since being confronted by the Crown Prince that day, the Crown Princess had become much more subdued. Even when her own cousin got into trouble, she dared not step forward to intervene, shrinking back in the Eastern Palace like a quail. Now sitting beside Shaoshang, she endlessly praised her cleverness and capability, solving a murder case so thoroughly in just three days.

“…Yes, only three days indeed.” Shaoshang also felt somewhat amazed, never expecting she possessed talent in this area.

Before the Crown Princess could offer more praise, Ling Buyi hurried over, his first words to Shaoshang being: “What are you plotting now?”

The opening gong hadn’t even sounded and the audit office personnel had already arrived. Shaoshang said irritably: “What business is it of yours!”

“Not my business?” Ling Buyi snorted. “If not for me, would you still be sitting here safe and sound?”

Shaoshang said weakly: “…Initially when you saved my life, you always said ‘don’t take it to heart,’ displaying the gracious bearing of a chivalrous hero who didn’t calculate gains and losses. How is it you mention it at every turn now?”

The Empress and Crown Prince laughed softly, while the Crown Princess felt somewhat sour.

Ling Buyi’s handsome eyes smiled: “Previously I thought you understood in your heart, so naturally I spoke graciously. Now I know you need constant reminders.” During that interval at the Lou family banquet, when he and Shaoshang met in the flower-lined pathway—at that time he had already rendered her several救援 and assistance, yet the girl still only agreed to meet after hearing threats.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help grinding his teeth slightly. “…No matter how well anyone treats you, when you want to play dumb you play dumb. It’s better to remind you constantly.”

Shaoshang seemed to recall this incident too, her soft little face flushing slightly as she said good-naturedly: “How could that be? You’ve saved me so many times, I couldn’t forget even if I wanted to.”

Ling Buyi’s heart warmed at the girl’s bright, sparkling eyes. He coughed lightly to cover it: “Fine. In the future… we’ll discuss it slowly.”

The Crown Prince could bear it no longer. Knowing his marriage was discordant, yet making him watch this scene—were these two doing this deliberately?! So he said sternly: “Shaoshang, what exactly did you summon me here for?”

“What matter.” Shaoshang was dazed for a moment, quickly recovering. “Oh, actually I have a gift to present to the Crown Princess today.”

The Crown Princess started: “Me?”

Shaoshang withdrew an item from her sleeve, presenting it very respectfully with both hands. Everyone focused their gaze to see it was a small piece of snow-white silk. The Crown Princess’s face immediately paled, while the Crown Prince and Ling Buyi exchanged glances.

The Empress didn’t understand: “What does this mean?”

Shaoshang said with a smile to the Crown Prince: “Your Highness, do you know the Crown Princess frequently bestows things upon Lady Qu?”

The Crown Prince nodded: “I know.” He glanced at the Crown Princess. “But I thought it was the Crown Princess being virtuous.”

Shaoshang looked toward Ling Buyi: “You also know, don’t you?”

Ling Buyi’s expression was somber: “I also know, approximately once a year. But I thought the Crown Princess was trying to ingratiate herself with the Crown Prince.” He had already guessed somewhat.

Shaoshang laughed coldly: “Everyone knows it’s the Crown Princess sending these things, yet Lady Qu doesn’t know, the Liang household doesn’t know. They all thought the rewards came from the Crown Prince—because of unforgettable old feelings!”

The Crown Prince knocked over his wine cup with a crack, crying out: “What is this about! I’ve had no word from Lingjun for ten years!”

Shaoshang said coldly: “I saw this silk at Lady Qu’s maid’s quarters. The maid said Lady Qu was beaten by Liang Shang again this time because of this silk bestowed by the Crown Prince! I found it very strange—this silk was clearly tribute that just arrived from Jingzhou for the new year celebrations. Her Majesty gave the first portion as a reward to the Crown Princess, while the rest remains untouched at my place. So I questioned carefully, and only then learned of the Crown Princess’s fine deeds!”

“What did she do!” The Crown Prince’s voice was strained.

Shaoshang said indignantly: “What else could she do? Use underhanded schemes to harm people! Acting all virtuous and gentle before the Crown Prince and Her Majesty, but when things reached the Liang family in Hedong, the eunuch delivering gifts would pretend to be sent by the Crown Prince, spouting nonsense before the couple like ‘His Highness has recently caught a slight chill and thought much of Madam during his illness,’ or ‘His Highness often sighs that no one can be his confidante anymore’… And only rewarding intimate items—last year a gold-threaded summer mat, the year before a jade pillow, and oh, this time the Crown Princess rewarded this type of silk used for making undergarments!” She pointed at the small piece of snow-white fabric.

“Absolutely untrue! It’s Qu Lingjun framing me! Now that she’s a widow, she’s started scheming for the Eastern Palace consort position! She has ulterior motives, delusional fantasies!” the Crown Princess shrieked.

Ling Buyi said coolly: “It’s not difficult to investigate the truth. Capture those servants who delivered things to Lady Qu and interrogate them—the truth will be known.”

Cold sweat poured down the Crown Princess’s face, unable to argue.

The Crown Prince’s face was deathly pale, his fingertips trembling as he looked at his wife with cold, disappointed eyes: “No wonder, no wonder that day Lingjun told me not to think of her anymore. I didn’t understand at the time…”

The Crown Princess wailed, prostrating on the ground and begging for mercy repeatedly. The Empress also understood the cause and effect, so angry her body swayed unsteadily.

Shaoshang slapped the table, furious: “I wondered why I always felt something was strange! Lady Qu is clearly not someone who swallows insults, how could she endure for years! That maid also said Lady Qu had entrusted those delivering rewards to send letters to the Crown Prince—the letters probably begged the Crown Prince not to send more things. Hmph, I estimate all those letters fell into the Crown Princess’s hands!”

“I’ve asked everything clearly. Not long after Lady Qu married, the rewards arrived in Hedong. The gift-bearers spoke ambiguously, and the items invited wild thoughts. Lady Qu probably felt some guilt toward her newlywed husband at the time, so she endured it. After several years, she finally understood that Liang Shang was an animal and couldn’t sit waiting for disaster, so she hired martial maids for protection. Actually Liang Shang had calmed down these years, but who knew the Crown Princess would send things again the other day to provoke trouble. Lady Qu was caught off guard and received several more beatings from Liang Shang.”

The Crown Princess’s heart filled with venomous resentment as she shouted at Shaoshang: “What enmity do I have with you that you say these things?! I’ve been married to the Crown Prince for ten years, yet you insist on harming me! Making the Crown Prince and Her Majesty heartbroken—what benefit is that to you!”

“Oh my! Just the other day the Crown Princess threatened me, saying when she became Empress she’d do this and that to me, and now she asks ‘what enmity’? How utterly laughable!”

Shaoshang unleashed a torrent of mockery, then turned to the Crown Prince: “Your Highness, I know Lady Qu’s case has just concluded and the Eastern Palace shouldn’t make any moves at this time. But the Crown Princess’s conduct has made Lady Qu too pitiful. How about this—why don’t you beat the Crown Princess a few times first? I have whips… hey, hey, what are you dragging me for? I haven’t finished speaking…”

Ling Buyi couldn’t listen anymore. He deftly picked up his fiancée, dragging and pulling her toward outside the hall, walking all the way to the courtyard beside a side hall before releasing her.

“Why did you drag me out? The Crown Princess is so detestable—shouldn’t we take this opportunity to thoroughly deal with her!” Shaoshang yanked back her sleeve, saying indignantly.

“After all, this is the Crown Prince’s family matter. No matter how close we are, we shouldn’t interfere too much.”

“So we just let Sun Shi continue as Crown Princess?!” Shaoshang couldn’t agree. “This woman has no talent or virtue, is base and narrow-minded. If she can still remain unscathed, there’s truly no justice!”

Ling Buyi said in a low voice: “Sun Shi indeed shouldn’t remain in the Eastern Palace, but we can’t move against her now. Let her go convalesce first. After a year or so, we’ll deal with her.”

Shaoshang had been all fierce earlier, but now hearing the cold intent in her fiancé’s words, she shrank back: “Hey, I think deposing her would be fine. You don’t mean to…” make her ‘die of illness’?

Ling Buyi gently rubbed her head: “Silly child, for someone like Sun Shi who values fame and fortune as life itself, she’d rather die than be deposed.”

Shaoshang was silent for a long while before saying: “All these years, didn’t you notice something wrong with the things she sent to Hedong?”

Ling Buyi smiled bitterly: “Ten years ago I was just a child. Later I grew accustomed to it, never imagining the Crown Princess’s heart was so narrow she could harbor resentment toward Qu Lingjun for a full ten years without rest.”

Shaoshang patted him: “Can’t blame you. Ordinary people wouldn’t think of this. After all, Lady Qu had married far away to Hedong, the Crown Princess had already won completely—why still brood over it? Although things you overlooked were ultimately discovered by me, you needn’t take it to heart at all, really, this can’t be blamed on you…”

Ling Buyi laughed, reaching out to pinch her little face: “Go look in a mirror—the very picture of a petty person’s triumph.”

Shaoshang glared: “If I’m a petty person, then what are you!”

“Someone who likes petty people.”

Shaoshang’s anger turned to joy as she smiled sweetly.

Ling Buyi took the girl’s small hand, suggesting they go see the plum trees in the garden ahead. Walking along, he said: “The Crown Princess is shallow and ignorant, while Qu Lingjun is clever and decisive, her insight into current affairs no less than any man’s. Yet the Crown Princess harmed the Qu clan for a full ten years. If you hadn’t exposed it this time, the Qu clan might still be in the dark even now. Alas, one can see that no one in this world should be underestimated.”

“Is it because the Crown Prince has always been unable to forget Lady Qu that the Crown Princess has been so relentless?” Shaoshang frowned.

Ling Buyi shook his head: “Though His Highness the Crown Prince is gentle by nature, he’s not one to maintain lingering attachments. He was sincere about making a good life with the Crown Princess initially, who knew he’d meet the wrong person…”

Shaoshang looked at the Crown Prince with newfound respect: “Yes. The Crown Prince is quite a good person. I heard from Matron Zhai that when you were small, one year in the depths of winter when accompanying His Majesty hunting at Tugao Mountain, you accidentally fell into a mountain spring, and it was the Crown Prince who jumped in to pull you out.”

Ling Buyi said casually: “Yes, I still remember how bone-chilling the water was. But…” He turned his head with a smile. “If this happened to you, what would you do?”

Shaoshang’s eyes rolled: “If I absolutely had to marry into the Liang family, I’d marry the Regional Inspector of Liang! Between a useless wretch who beats women and an old uncle, better the latter. Yesterday Regional Inspector Liang’s three arrows were so magnificent!”

“I’m afraid that won’t work. Ten years ago Regional Inspector Liang’s wife hadn’t passed away yet.” Ling Buyi’s face was cold. “Besides, I asked what you’d do if you were the Crown Prince, not what you’d do if you were Qu Shi!”

Shaoshang laughed: “If I were the Crown Prince… that goes without saying—with the Crown Princess’s meager tricks, could she fool me? Hey, wait, I heard Regional Inspector Liang’s wife died very, very long ago.”

“That was his first wife, Lady Qu. The second wife passed away just a few years ago.”

“Tsk tsk, this Regional Inspector Liang has no luck with wives either—one dies after another. He should just honestly end his days alone.”

A rare expression of puzzlement appeared on Ling Buyi’s face: “Shaoshang, now that Liang Shang is dead and the Crown Princess is finished, do you think Qu Lingjun and His Highness the Crown Prince might…?”

“Might they reunite? Of course they will!” Shaoshang was decisive.

Ling Buyi raised his eyebrows, indicating incomprehension.

Shaoshang looked utterly certain: “I’ll go back and personally write a letter, telling Lady Qu all about the Crown Princess’s harmful schemes in detail! A full ten years of persecution—even just to vent her anger, Lady Qu must return to the Eastern Palace! When the Crown Princess sees her former enemy sitting high above her, that will truly be satisfying!”

Ling Buyi was skeptical.

Several days later, Qu Lingjun’s father and brothers finally arrived with their people and horses. Their luck was truly good—when they first heard the terrible news they were sick with worry, but upon reaching the capital, all they heard on the streets was “Lady Qu is so pitiful, the Liang brothers fought over the family head position yet she was innocently implicated,” or “The Liang family, supposedly a century-old noble clan, yet their descendants are so unfilial.”

When Liang Xia was executed that day, at least two hundred people surrounded the area inside and out. Besides Liang clan members, half were relatives and old friends—these shrewd old foxes were all very astute, deliberately not restraining their servants and allowing them to spread what they witnessed that day. New news replaced old news, and by now no one questioned Lady Qu’s character anymore, and no one discussed the Crown Prince either.

Two more days passed before Shaoshang received a personal letter from Qu Lingjun. After reading it, she was so astonished she couldn’t speak.

Ling Buyi took the letter and looked at the girl with amusement: “You didn’t get a single thing right. Regional Inspector Liang won’t end his days alone, and Qu Lingjun won’t return to the Eastern Palace.”

Shaoshang laughed dryly twice.

The letter’s content was simple, just three matters: first thanking Shaoshang for working so hard these days to clear her name; saying that in her current distressed state she couldn’t look after herself properly, but would remember this kindness in her heart; second was that Regional Inspector Liang had received His Majesty’s gracious permission and would soon depart to return to his post to continue as Regional Inspector (reading to here, Shaoshang already felt something subtle—just days ago you wanted to escape the Liang family, what does whether Old Uncle Liang takes up his post or not have to do with you, a young widow?); the last part was the bombshell—

Qu Lingjun said that after joint discussion between the Liang and Qu families, she would soon marry Regional Inspector Liang. At this sensitive time it wasn’t appropriate to make it public, so they’d hold the wedding ceremony after taking up the post. That’s right, like Lady He Zhao, she too would marry while in deep mourning.

Shaoshang’s expression was blank, her mind in complete confusion: “This… where does this come from…?”

Ling Buyi slowly placed the letter back into the exquisite lacquered wooden box bound with brocade cord.

Shaoshang said again: “I thought taking a brother’s widow in remarriage was something that only happened in the countryside.” For the sake of raising children and avoiding property division, such things were quite common among common folk, but among noble clans…

Ling Buyi said nothing.

Shaoshang continued: “Regional Inspector Liang is already forty-seven, while Lady Qu is only twenty-six.”

Ling Buyi still lowered his lashes without speaking.

Shaoshang poked his cheek with a slender finger. Ling Buyi caught her delicate nape in return, kneading it back and forth like handling a small cat. Shaoshang twisted and struggled free of his large palm with effort.

Ling Buyi smiled slightly: “The Liang and Qu families don’t wish to make it public, but the Crown Prince should still know. Now, who will tell him, and how?”

Shaoshang’s gaze circled Ling Buyi’s face twice, then she moved away somewhat to sit, using body language to make clear this hot potato was definitely not something she’d accept.

Ling Buyi smiled faintly for a moment.

Afterward, no one knew what Ling Buyi said to the Crown Prince, only that the Crown Prince had accidentally fallen while riding and had to rest in bed to recover his leg. And since the Crown Princess had already been confined to seclusion to “convalesce,” the Empress could only personally attend to the Crown Prince’s injury.

After returning from the Eastern Palace, the Empress was in low spirits. Shaoshang asked what troubled her. She replied: “The Crown Prince was ultimately at fault. Not wrong in honoring his marriage contract, but wrong in never seeing through the Crown Princess’s vicious nature.”

Shaoshang consoled her: “The person beside one’s pillow—how easy is it to see them clearly?”

The Empress smiled helplessly: “But he is the heir apparent, the future sovereign—how can he not know how to judge people?”

Shaoshang said: “One can’t put it that way. Didn’t the First Emperor also fail to see Zhao Gao’s true nature? He even thought him a loyal and honest old servant, yet as soon as the First Emperor breathed his last, Zhao Gao started causing chaos in every way possible! The First Emperor with all his abilities also misjudged, so Your Majesty shouldn’t blame the Crown Prince.”

“Yes.” The Empress smiled with some sorrow. “That’s why the First Emperor’s legacy perished in the second generation.”

Shaoshang thought about it—she felt the reasons for Qin’s fall were complex and couldn’t all be attributed to a few people, so she continued consoling the Empress: “Your Majesty, one learns from mistakes. After this incident, the Crown Prince will know how to judge people in the future.”

Seeing the girl’s persistent appearance, the Empress gently stroked her hair: “Let’s hope it’s as you say.”

…

Two days later, Shaoshang deliberately shook off Ling Buyi to see off Qu Lingjun.

Beside the Ten Li Pavilion outside the city, the Liang and Qu families’ caravan was vast and long, with quite a few people coming to see them off. Among the crowd, an elderly man whose features bore some resemblance to Qu Lingjun stood beside the farewell pavilion talking with General Han, while a similarly featured middle-aged man attended nearby. The three occasionally burst into laughter.

Qu Lingjun glanced at them, then turned to Shaoshang: “My father and brother will accompany us to the Regional Inspector’s post, and incidentally prepare my wedding ceremony.”

Shaoshang couldn’t help asking: “Why exactly are you marrying…” She stopped, changing her question. “His Highness the Crown Prince, he…” She stopped again, not knowing how to continue.

Qu Lingjun smiled slightly. Though dressed in deep mourning, she was still radiant as the morning glow, dazzlingly beautiful beyond compare.

“I thought His Highness had been thinking of me for ten years. Though I often worried about this, I was also secretly pleased at times. Who knew he had resolved to forget me ten years ago—it makes my calculations over these years seem quite laughable. Since his heart isn’t with me, I’ll let it rest. Between the Crown Prince and I, there’s nothing more to say.”

Shaoshang knew she was right, and could only sigh deeply. “But you needn’t marry Regional Inspector Liang. He is advanced in years after all, while Madam is in the prime of youth.”

Qu Lingjun smiled: “You’re a clever person. Think carefully—actually whether for the Liang and Qu families or for my children, marrying the Regional Inspector is most appropriate.”

Shaoshang had no response again.

Over there, Qu Lingjun’s pair of children wore little mourning clothes, running about followed by their nurse and maids, seeming happier than when their birth father was alive. They ran all the way to Liang Wuji’s side as he spoke with the Colonel, one hugging his leg, one tugging his sleeve, laughing without a care. Though Liang Wuji was not young, his strength was considerable. He lifted both children, one in each arm, having the youngsters clasp their little hands in greeting to the Colonel, making the Colonel laugh heartily.

Qu Lingjun and Shaoshang watched for a while. She said: “The Regional Inspector is pitiful—a lifetime hero, yet lamentably approaching fifty with still no children at his knee. My children are pitiful too—better to have no father than the father they had. In the future I’ll serve the Regional Inspector well, and he’ll look after my children. This way, everyone benefits.”

Shaoshang had some understanding. Everyone’s values are different—some people live for themselves, some live for their family and children. Actually from this perspective, Qu Lingjun and Liang Wuji’s goals aligned.

Before leaving, Shaoshang turned to look back, seeing Liang Wuji kneeling on one knee on the ground, picking some dry grass to weave crickets and birds, the two small children nestled intimately beside him, watching with rapt attention.

She suddenly felt this wasn’t bad either.