The forest skirmish had ceased. Through gaps in the tree leaves, pale blue cold light filtered down. A gentle breeze slowly dispersed the thick smell of blood lingering in the surroundings. Shaoshang took a deep breath, letting this cold, sharp scent clear her mind. Turning her head, she finally noticed that Ling Buyi’s black armor appeared like congealed rust and blood—dark red and heavy.

Ling Buyi paid no attention to the blood staining his body, skillfully ordering various aftermath tasks: settling the dead, wounded, and weak; gathering up carriages, horses, weapons, and equipment… Of course, most urgent was deciding where to go next. Since Old Comrade Wan was unconscious, Cheng Song and the others regarded Ling Buyi as their leader, following his instructions to first return to the post station for temporary rest and reorganization.

While everyone was regrouping, Ling Buyi took time to write a letter on a guard’s back, sealed it with fire wax, and had Liang Qiu deliver it by fast horse.

“What did you write?” Shaoshang asked.

Ling Buyi said, “Reminding His Majesty to send people to protect Huang Wen, lest he meet with an accident.”

“Ah.” Shaoshang hadn’t slept all night and felt her mind had grown dull.

Ling Buyi was unwilling to be too far from Shaoshang, constantly holding her hand as they walked back and forth between the carriages. According to Wan Qiqi’s words, he “wished he could tie her to his wrist.” As they were about to mount their horses, Ling Buyi saw the dark circles under the girl’s eyes and his heart softened: “You haven’t slept all night and suffered a fright—go rest in the carriage.” His tone was gentle but his meaning firm. After speaking, he beckoned for his subordinates to bring up a carriage.

Cheng Shaogong silently complained on the side: First, everyone had gone without sleep all night. Second, his younger sister absolutely had not suffered any fright.

“…Zifu, what do you think?” Ling Buyi looked toward Cheng Song.

Cheng Song naturally had no objection, and conveniently shoved Wan Qiqi into the carriage as well. Thus his good third brother Cheng Shaogong could no longer stay in the carriage and had to mount his horse with an iron-dark face, the delicate flower turning into a plastic flower.

Fearing further incidents, everyone ate their fill then traveled urgently for most of the day. By evening, they finally left that forest-lined road. Rubbing her eyes, Shaoshang discovered another group of thirty or forty people camping at the exit of the lined path, setting up pots to cook.

Most of these people were wounded, with low groans and curses continuously reaching their ears. However, their injuries didn’t seem very severe—they were either limping about chopping firewood and drawing water, or had arms in slings while cutting meat and roasting fish.

Seeing Ling Buyi and the others, they all cheered. Running over at the front was a refined young man dressed as a scholar. Shaoshang found this face very familiar, and beside her, Wan Qiqi called out first: “Young Marquis Ban? What are you doing here!”

Young Marquis Ban seemed somewhat timid by nature. Seeing Ling Buyi as if he’d found his backbone, he cried and wiped his tears: “Lord Ling… Brother Zicheng, why did you only return now? What if those bandits come back? I’m scared to death! My uncle… my uncle still hasn’t woken up yet! What should we do…”

Ling Buyi answered each question very patiently: “Since those people didn’t take your lives initially, they won’t come looking for you again. Your uncle took medicine and was supposed to sleep for a day and night. From what I can see, your uncle should wake up soon.”

Young Marquis Ban wiped his tears: “Oh, that’s good, that’s good…”

At this moment, a steward-like person beside him quietly reminded: “Young master, Lord Ling and everyone look very exhausted. We’ve already prepared tents and food and wine. Young master, why not…”

Young Marquis Ban woke as if from a dream, repeatedly inviting everyone to enter the tent to rest and dine.

Walking into the spacious round tent, Liang Qiqi originally wanted to go help Ling Buyi remove his armor, but Ling Buyi slightly turned aside to avoid him, his eyes looking at Shaoshang. Liang Qiqi immediately understood his meaning and quietly stood to the side. Shaoshang was about to pull Wan Qiqi to find a place to change clothes when she caught Ling Buyi’s gaze and cleverly went forward to loosen his armor. The heavy iron belt, the shoulder guards cast in the form of a roaring fierce tiger, the breastplate inlaid with exquisite black obsidian, then the belly leather, arm guards, knee guards… Liang Qiqi stood to the side, receiving each piece one by one.

Watching this scene, Wan Qiqi felt inexplicably displeased, rather like her well-behaved child was being bullied by a schoolyard tyrant. Cheng Song’s thick eyebrows knotted into a tangle. Cheng Shaoshang yawned and pounded her poor back and waist, pretending not to see anything.

As she loosened Ling Buyi’s wrist guards, Shaoshang discovered his left wrist was bound with several circles of fine hard wire securing his sleeve opening. Touching it, she couldn’t determine the material, thinking perhaps it was a hidden weapon. She was about to feel it more carefully to determine what kind of wire it was when Ling Buyi somewhat abruptly withdrew his hand, lowering his head to tell the girl gently: “Earlier I had people carry over a cart of mountain spring water. By now it should have been heated. Go wash yourself—don’t rush, take your time.”

Cheng Shaogong seethed inwardly. He also wanted to wash up! He was also tired and weary! Cheng Song had no time to fuss over such things, instead very smoothly pushing Wan Qiqi to Shaoshang’s side, having her go along to mooch a bath.

After soaking in a hot bath, the two girls felt refreshed in body and spirit, as if reborn. Wan Qiqi even felt she had misunderstood that schoolyard tyrant. When the two women stepped back into the large round tent, Ling Buyi and the Cheng brothers had also changed their robes, washed their hands and faces. Young Marquis Ban was eagerly inviting everyone to take their seats.

Cheng Song raised his cup: “Lord Ling, we first thank you for this rescue.” After speaking, he flipped his wine cup and drained it in one gulp.

Cheng Shaogong and Wan Qiqi did the same. When it came to Shaoshang’s turn to also drink it all in one go, Ling Buyi simply took the wine cup from her hand, drank until only a mouthful remained, then returned it to her. Under everyone’s various gazes, Shaoshang gave a dry laugh twice, tilted her neck back to drink the wine, then perfunctorily said a line: “Thank you, Lord Ling.”

Everyone inwardly clicked their tongues in disdain.

As everyone ate and talked, Ling Buyi smiled: “Speaking of which, you should also thank Young Marquis Ban. If they hadn’t been attacked, I couldn’t have arrived so quickly.”

Young Marquis Ban’s wooden chopsticks trembled, and the roasted fish fell onto his dining table. His eyes reddened, nearly about to cry again.

The Emperor often lamented that Ling Buyi was pitiable—the only surviving bloodline of the Huo clan. Actually, in the capital, the one person who could compete with Ling Buyi on this matter was this Ban Jia, Young Marquis Ban. Speaking of Old Marquis Ban, he was also a hero who grew stronger with age. Harmed by the previous dynasty’s tyrannical emperor until his family was destroyed and his children all died young, he nevertheless left behind five grandsons, each brave and skilled in battle, fierce and fearless.

But when a person’s luck turns bad, it truly cannot be stopped. After several years of warfare, four of the five Ban tigers died and one was crippled—from stray arrows, cold fevers, infected wounds… In short, all the misfortunes ordinary people wouldn’t encounter, his family encountered. Most critically, except for Young Marquis Ban’s father, the other deceased grandsons left no heirs, and the one who survived apparently was injured in a vital area and to this day had no wife or children.

Therefore, the entire Ban family regarded Young Marquis Ban, this sole remaining seedling, as a precious treasure. It was said that until age ten, Ban Jia never even left the family gate. Now fifteen years old, he still didn’t know the capital’s roads very well.

Cui You was a kind person. Pitying that the Ban family had old ones who were old, young ones who were young, and crippled ones who were crippled, he kept Ban Jia by his side. Though he couldn’t let him face enemies in battle, he could keep him in the command tent doing clerical work—tallying casualties, arranging logistics, allocating provisions… Young Marquis Ban actually did it quite neatly.

Who knew that several days ago, Old Marquis Ban had a nightmare and suspected something had happened to his great-grandson, so he drove Uncle Ban to visit Ban Jia. Upon seeing him, naturally nothing was amiss. The military camp was important territory and couldn’t keep idle people, so the day before yesterday, Ban Jia personally escorted his uncle back. During the escort, they encountered a strange group of bandits.

Without a word, these people attacked and killed right away. However, the Ban family’s personal guards were no decoration—they were all veterans of the battlefield and fought with no less skill. Just as the battle was raging fiercely, Uncle Ban saw his nephew frightened out of his wits. In his anger, he got down from the carriage with his walking stick to kill enemies. Who knew that the two leaders among that group of bandits saw Uncle Ban and swiftly retreated like a rolling storm, leaving behind a ground full of corpses and wounded, plus the severely injured and unconscious Uncle Ban and the sobbing Young Marquis Ban.

After finishing his crying, Young Marquis Ban quickly had people go find the nearest military force. The Ban manor guards rode swiftly and the first they encountered was Ling Buyi leading troops on patrol through the wilderness. Just after settling the casualties, as Ling Buyi was slowly escorting the Ban party back, he encountered his own guards who had come seeking rescue.

—This was also fortunate for Shaoshang and the others. If they had ridden swiftly from the forest-lined path to Ling Buyi’s camp, it would take at least a day, and coming back would take who knows how long.

“The Ban family also encountered bandits?” Wan Qiqi looked puzzled. “Just how many groups of bandits are there?”

The three Cheng siblings said nothing, exchanging glances with each other, their expressions grave.

Ling Buyi said lightly: “The route Young Marquis Ban took was precisely the official road you were originally going to travel.”

The Cheng siblings all gave light “ahs” of understanding.

The table fell quiet. After a while, Shaoshang asked softly: “…Don’t you need to serve in Marquis Cui’s army?”

Ling Buyi smiled: “Several days ago, the rebel main force was already routed. Peng the rebel’s vassals are surrendering one after another. Uncle Cui now sees several people every day who come crying bitterly to plead guilty while bearing thorn branches. Except for one wall of Shouchen city, Peng the rebel has nothing left.”

“Then why doesn’t Uncle Cui quickly break through Shouchen and return to court in triumph?” Shaoshang asked.

Cheng Shaogong shook his head: “I heard Father say that Shouchen’s city walls are sturdy—a direct assault would be inadvisable.”

Cheng Song agreed: “Now Peng the rebel is tottering like fruit ripened on a branch, about to fall. Why use our weakness to attack the enemy’s strength? That would only create many unnecessary casualties.”

Young Marquis Ban clapped his hands: “Both Brothers Cheng have excellent insight! Marquis Cui said the same thing. Right now he’s planning to ‘subdue the enemy without fighting,’ though it’s somewhat difficult restraining several hot-blooded young masters eager for battle.”

Wan Qiqi interjected: “They probably haven’t established merit yet and won’t stay put obediently.”

“Qiqi, don’t speculate about others’ intentions like that.” Cheng Song quietly stopped his fiancée, though in his heart he thought the same—but this wasn’t at home.

Shaoshang changed the subject: “What does ‘subdue the enemy without fighting’ mean? Do you want the people inside Shouchen city to take Peng the rebel’s head and present it themselves? I heard that in the previous dynasty, several rebel leaders ultimately didn’t die at enemy hands but at the hands of their own people.”

Ling Buyi smiled slightly at her, tacitly confirming.

After eating and drinking their fill, Ling Buyi suggested everyone go see the unconscious Uncle Ban. He said: “You’ll understand once you see him.”

In the adjacent tent, Uncle Ban was still unconscious on a soft couch, his body wrapped in bandages stained with blood. Everyone took a brief look and their hearts trembled. Only Wan Qiqi gave a soft “ah”—Uncle Ban’s build was very similar to Wan Songbai’s: both of medium height, both with round general’s bellies. However, Uncle Ban’s face was pale and beardless, completely different from Wan Songbai’s appearance.

On this starlit night, everyone strolled back to sit in the large round tent. Cheng Shaogong spoke first: “This matter is aimed at Uncle Wan.”

Cheng Song nodded: “Yesterday I asked A’Fu. He said that last month, Uncle encountered assassins twice. They all claimed to be remnants of the previous dynasty seeking revenge for the tyrannical emperor, specifically coming to assassinate His Majesty’s territorial officials. Because such things had happened elsewhere before, Uncle didn’t take it to heart. Now it seems…”

“Now it seems it was specifically aimed at my father!” Wan Qiqi added.

Shaoshang suddenly gave an “ah,” and everyone looked at her. She looked at Ling Buyi, as if waking from a dream: “So that’s why you wrote this morning to have His Majesty protect Imperial Censor Huang?”

Ling Buyi smiled. Everyone didn’t understand. He patiently explained: “This morning, I had people examine the bandits’ corpses and discovered they weren’t ordinary bandits, but a gathering of well-trained remnant soldiers.”

Seeing the Cheng siblings and Wan Qiqi still didn’t understand, Young Marquis Ban timidly said: “I heard my great-grandfather say that these years of continuous warfare, those scattered, fleeing defeated soldiers and wandering fighters—where did they all go? Not everyone is willing to remove their armor and return to farming. Become bandits? In the end they inevitably get suppressed or pacified by the court’s armies. So among them, many who are highly skilled in martial arts and unwilling to live ordinary lives drift into the martial world, becoming hired ‘wandering gallants.'”

“This can also be called ‘wandering gallants’?” Cheng Song was young and still had some longing for the wandering gallant life.

“They are also wandering gallants.” Ling Buyi said. “Han Feizi said: ‘Scholars use culture to disrupt law; gallants use martial arts to violate prohibitions.’ Though these words are biased, they’re not entirely without merit. Under bright heaven, when common people live and work in peace, what need is there for wandering gallants? Young disciples with hot blood and high spirits wandering the martial world, broadening their horizons, making friends, gaining experience—this kind of ‘wandering gallant’ causes no great harm. However, some ‘wandering gallants’ seek wealth and riches, so naturally they must do some unlawful things in the shadows.”

“You mean someone paid money to hire this group to intercept and kill my father?” Wan Qiqi finally understood.

“What does this have to do with Imperial Censor Huang?” Cheng Shaogong asked.

“You’re so dim! Isn’t this obvious?” Shaoshang said angrily. “Someone paid money for Uncle’s life. The first two times, because Uncle had many people with him in Xu prefecture, they failed. So the person in the shadows had Imperial Censor Huang impeach Uncle. Wouldn’t Uncle have to return to the capital for investigation? How many people can Uncle bring on the road? Wouldn’t that make it much easier to strike!”

“So it wasn’t Huang Wen who secretly harmed my father?!” Wan Qiqi said furiously. “This traitor, I definitely won’t let him go!”

“Whether Imperial Censor Huang was deceived into impeaching Uncle, or secretly plotted to frame Uncle, in any case, he can’t be allowed to die! Only alive can he be slowly interrogated!” Shaoshang comforted her close friend.

Only then did the Cheng brothers and Ban Jia suddenly understand, secretly admiring how quickly Ling Buyi’s thoughts moved—this morning, just after rescuing Wan Songbai’s party, he immediately thought to keep Huang Wen for questioning.

“Then why not start with those bandits? Perhaps we could also find out who’s behind this.” Cheng Shaogong asked again.

Shaoshang frowned: “To do this kind of business long-term, naturally they can’t be like vegetable vendors and market stalls hawking their trade. Apart from the leader bandits, probably the rest don’t know the details.” All those martial arts novels she’d read weren’t for nothing.

“Then capture the leader bandits!” Wan Qiqi was full of anger.

The corner of Ling Buyi’s mouth curved slightly, mocking: “Where would we capture them? They gather for profit and scatter according to circumstances, hiding in the wilderness, concealing themselves in the marketplace… To truly capture them would take more than a day’s effort. It’s faster to question Imperial Censor Huang.”

Having said this much, everyone agreed.

Before leaving the round tent, Shaoshang suddenly said: “To be able to hire such formidable bandits, that person behind the scenes must also be extraordinary. But why exactly must Uncle Wan be killed?”

Ling Buyi held her small hand and smiled: “That’s also one approach. When Governor Wan wakes up, you can ask him who he’s offended.”

Only then did Shaoshang realize that everyone, including Wan Qiqi, was single-mindedly thinking about returning to the capital to force a confession from Huang Wen—this group with no investigative spirit! She inwardly complained, then heavily swung away Ling Buyi’s hand. Who knew it seemed to pull on his injury—Ling Buyi gave a light hiss, his right hand pressing his shoulder, frowning in pain.

Shaoshang said nervously: “You’re injured?”

Ling Buyi lowered his thick lashes and gave a low “mm.”

“You haven’t stopped for a day and night. The wound must have torn open again. Come, let’s go to your tent and I’ll rebandage it for you.” Shaoshang was full of distress.

Ling Buyi’s smile was clear and bright as he pulled the girl’s hand and walked.

They hadn’t walked a few steps when Shaoshang stopped and turned back: “Third Brother, why are you following me?”

Cheng Shaogong, who had been silently following behind the two, raised his head and sighed: “Actually, I’m also very concerned about Lord Ling’s injury and just wanted to go take a look together.”

“Third Brother, are you confused with fever?!” Shaoshang found this inconceivable. “Or drunk? Hurry back to your tent and sleep!”

Ling Buyi looked at Cheng Shaogong, slightly raising an eyebrow, his aura cool with a trace of displeasure.

Cheng Shaogong wailed ten thousand times in his heart—he didn’t want to either!

—If Cheng Song’s work on this trip was to escort Wan Qiqi to find her father, then his own mother kicked him out of the capital to watch over his younger sister. Now with the night like water and the wilderness quiet, a man and woman alone together in a tent… If he did nothing, when he returned, Lady Xiao would definitely skin him alive!

Shaoshang’s mind turned. Looking at Cheng Shaogong’s expression again, she understood a little and said unhappily: “Third Brother, you should trust Lord Ling’s character! All these years, when have you ever heard of him having affairs with women!”

Cheng Shaogong sighed again: “You should consider that I don’t trust you.”

“You…!” Shaoshang was furious—facing such a handsome, healthy, broad-backed, long-legged fiancé, she had been so chaste and pure, yet someone still slandered her!

Ling Buyi couldn’t help but laugh secretly, thinking these two were truly a pair of treasures. “Raise the tent curtain,” he turned to order Liang Qiqi, then pulled his still-stamping, angry little fiancée back to the tent.

Cheng Shaogong also breathed a sigh of relief, wrapping himself in a white fox fur and sitting at Cheng Song’s tent entrance watching in that direction.

Ling Buyi sat upright on a camp stool. Shaoshang stood behind him, slowly loosening his garments. Sure enough, she saw a circle of blood-seeping bandages on his shoulder. After carefully unwrapping them, she found a torn arrow wound—dark red congealed and fractured tissue forming shockingly destructive marks on the young man’s perfectly white, strong physique.

She said with distress: “Didn’t you say this battle wasn’t a big deal? How did you fight so desperately!”

Ling Buyi comforted her: “Once weapons and warfare begin, there’s no such thing as big or small matters. Carelessness and negligence inevitably brew great disaster.”

Shaoshang had no words to counter, only able to have Liang Qiqi bring hot water and wound medicine, slowly dissolving the congealed material on his garments, then applying medicine and rebandaging. Each time she touched the wound, she felt her heart jump, as if tweezers were clamping the flesh of her heart.

But Ling Buyi most loved seeing her tender, pitying appearance—it was the same that time after the Emperor had him beaten with the staff. Sometimes he even wanted to create some wounds on himself just to see her anxious and distressed appearance. Thinking carefully, this state of his was also not quite normal.

“These past days I’ve actually been very unhappy, which is why I left Uncle Cui’s side to lead troops wandering outside,” Ling Buyi suddenly said. “Now that I’ve seen you, I finally feel much better.”

Shaoshang asked why this was.

“Previously didn’t I say there were leads on the Huo family’s surviving old subordinates? I sent two groups of people to search. One group has already returned—it turned out to be a complete fraud. That person was just using the Huo clan loyalists’ name to swindle food and drink in the local countryside.”

Shaoshang’s heart was heavy: “What about the other group?”

“No news yet.”

Ling Buyi pressed the small hand on his shoulder, saying wistfully: “Tell me, could it be that all the subordinates who fought alongside Uncle truly died completely? I’ve searched for them all these years. Only last year were there some leads, and now half that hope is extinguished.”

Shaoshang said softly: “Even if their bodies have all perished, their heroic spirits should be without regret, their noble spirit enduring forever.”

Ling Buyi murmured: “I truly don’t wish to be the only surviving descendant of the Huo clan left in this world.”

Shaoshang said: “What’s difficult about that? When you give birth to many children, the Huo clan remaining in the world won’t be just you alone.”

Ling Buyi laughed despite himself, turning to look at the girl, sighing: “However, bearing children isn’t an easy matter. I’m afraid…”

“Who’s asking you to give birth? I’m the one giving birth! What business is it of yours, still hesitating.” Shaoshang patted her chest without the slightest embarrassment. “A trivial matter—leave it to me!”

Ling Buyi’s brows and eyes relaxed with joy, then he sighed again: “I wish I could handle everything for you. If only I could do this for you as well.”

These words filled Shaoshang’s heart with sweetness. After bandaging the wound, she volunteered to clean Ling Buyi’s armor. One must know that armor, weapons, and warhorses were the three most critical matters for military men. Having spent much time with Ling Buyi, she knew he always personally maintained his armor, weapons, and warhorse. Now with his injury, how could she bear to let him do it himself?

Having Ling Buyi sit to the side, she held the heavy black iron armor, carefully washing the blood stains from each piece with warm water, repeatedly wiping and rubbing with dry cloth, then thinly applying oil, spreading and polishing…

At the entrance of the opposite tent, Cheng Song and Wan Qiqi had appeared standing behind Cheng Shaogong at some point.

“Don’t you feel somewhat uncomfortable in your heart?” Wan Qiqi said.

Cheng Song nodded: “Look at Little Sister—in front of Ling Buyi she’s as obedient as a little kitten. Originally Mother worried Little Sister would bully her husband, that we father and brothers would have to go apologize at their door. Now looking at this… What is this!”

“Sigh, for the first time I think your mother’s words had some merit. Better to have found an honest, gentle husband—only Shaoshang bullying others, no one able to bully her. How wonderful that would be! Now look at her, held firmly in that surnamed Ling’s palm, sold and still counting money!”

“At home, Niaoniao never even washed a handkerchief herself, but now she’s washing armor for Ling Buyi!”

“…However, we can’t say that surnamed Ling is completely bad. That warhorse he sent over really is a rare breed!”

“Sigh, yes. When Mother fell ill giving birth to Little Zhu, it was he who kept it in mind and specially requested palace physicians to come to our home to treat Mother. And Father’s back injury—the imperially bestowed tiger bone ointment has never been lacking these days.”

“It’s just that he’s a bit too formidable, insisting on having his way, not allowing others to object.”

“Also not very considerate—it’s so late and he still won’t let Niaoniao go rest. How tiring! We still have to travel tomorrow morning!”

“I say you two have had enough!”

Cheng Shaogong could bear it no longer, turning to complain: “Niaoniao slept in the carriage all day today—all day! Sister Qiqi got out of the carriage to ride a horse at noon, but she slept soundly all day! What is she tired from? Even if you let her sleep now she can’t sleep! Moreover tomorrow she’ll probably still be able to sleep in the carriage! The tired one is Ling Buyi, is us people riding on horses!”

Cheng Song smacked his lips. Wan Qiqi twisted her fingers. The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

“…Third Brother, why are you so caustic?”

“Can’t you be more magnanimous? No wonder no young lady has taken a fancy to you yet!”

“I think you’re destined to be a bachelor!”

“Absolutely right!”

Afterward, the young couple returned to their respective tents to rest. Cheng Shaogong was cold and tired, and had suffered a round of personal attacks. But seeing that the man and woman opposite still had no intention of separating, he finally couldn’t help wanting to hear what exactly they were saying—circling around from behind two tents, taking a side route to slowly approach, Cheng Shaogong leaned against the side, pricking up his ears to listen.

“…Why aren’t you speaking, just watching me? Did I use too much oil?” Shaoshang said.

“Not too much. You learn as soon as taught, doing it properly.”

“Then what are you thinking about?”

“…I’m thinking of you.”

The girl gave a dry laugh twice: “But I’m right beside you.”

“I still think of you.”

Cheng Shaogong hadn’t yet reached the age of romantic yearning, but he couldn’t listen anymore.

He walked away a few steps, pulling from his sleeve three divination coins and a small ancient turtle shell, nimbly stuffing the coins into the shell. After praying three times to heaven, he planned to divine a fortune for marital harmony. Shaking the turtle shell, tilting it downward, the bright golden divination coins fell along the arc to the ground. Cheng Shaogong eagerly crouched down to look, then… was dumbfounded.

The three divination coins had actually all inserted vertically into the soil, forming a triangle pattern.

What did this mean? Cheng Shaogong immediately felt his learning was shallow—this question he didn’t know how to answer!