At this time, Cui You was busy concluding the military campaign and pacifying the local region. Ling Buyi could not wait to return to the capital with the main army, so two days early he brought the Wan and Cheng families back to the capital. On the journey, Shaoshang squeezed into the carriage to humbly seek instruction from her mystical charlatan elder brother.

“Why is it that whenever the Lou family is mentioned, Lord Ling always looks at them with disdain? Actually, I’ve never said a single good word on behalf of the Lou family, and after Lou Yao’s marriage I’ve only seen him once!”

“What’s so strange about that?” Cheng Shaogong lazily lifted his eyelids without interest.

“Because heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know, and Ling Buyi himself knows even better—if there were no Emperor, no He family, no other various entanglements, and he and Lou Yao were both placed on the dining table, which one would you choose to bite into?”

Shaoshang fell silent. After a moment she struggled to say: “That’s not entirely true. Actually, I quite like Lord Ling now.”

Cheng Shaogong yawned: “You should say those words to him. Perhaps he’d feel better about it.”

Returning to the capital, everyone else went their separate ways home—including Wan Songbai, who had originally come to lodge a complaint but whose case was no longer the focus. Ling Buyi and Shaoshang went separately to see the Emperor and Empress. The Emperor was currently consulting several Confucian scholars about compiling and editing manuscripts. Seeing his adopted son’s grave expression, he planned to dismiss everyone from the hall, but unexpectedly Ling Buyi stopped Yuan Shen.

“I’m afraid this matter will require Vice Minister Yuan’s full support,” Ling Buyi said.

Yuan Shen’s expression turned stern as he bowed in acknowledgment.

At this time, the Emperor had already detained Huang Wen, but no matter how much he was interrogated, Huang Wen only said that a junior fellow disciple he greatly trusted had told him of Wan Songbai’s ‘crimes,’ and that this junior fellow disciple had now disappeared without a trace. However, in the Emperor’s mind, this matter was still only at the level of ‘frontier officials repeatedly attacked, there must be hidden circumstances beneath.’ It was only after hearing his adopted son’s detailed account and step-by-step deductions that he realized the Tongniu County case concealed unimaginably treacherous waves and surging murderous intent.

“What Lord Ling says is quite right, and the deductions fit seamlessly. However…” Yuan Shen suddenly interrupted, “there is still no ironclad evidence to directly prove Lou Ben’s actions. If we only have the circumstantial evidence before us, one could say Lou Ben merely privately befriended Yan Zhong but had nothing to do with Yan Zhong and Ma Rong’s secret collusion.”—Lou Ben acted efficiently and truly left no direct incriminating evidence.

Ling Buyi reported: “Vice Minister Yuan is correct. I dare not act presumptuously for fear of wrongly accusing Lou Ziwei. Until now I have not revealed a single word to anyone else. Now I only ask Your Majesty one question: do we continue investigating?”

Yuan Shen fell silent. He understood that Ling Buyi’s words contained the implication: ‘As long as we continue investigating, he will definitely find evidence. If the Emperor wants to smooth things over, then this matter ends here.’

The Emperor’s face turned iron-blue, his posture frozen like ink spilled on snow-white silk. He thought of Yan Zhong’s proud, stubborn yet passionate face, thought of Court Gentleman Lou’s honest and loyal appearance over decades, and thought even more of the Empress and Crown Prince—they had done nothing wrong, yet were destined to be somewhat implicated.

After a long while, the Emperor said in a heavy voice: “Heaven’s principles are clear, justice exists. Continue investigating—investigate until the truth comes to light!”

Ling Buyi bowed to accept the command, then fixed his gaze on Yuan Shen. Yuan Shen knew there was no avoiding it and met his gaze solemnly.

…

Coming out of the Imperial Secretariat, Ling Buyi went directly to Changqiu Palace, only to discover Shaoshang was not there. The Empress first expressed concern for her adopted son, then smiled: “That child Shaoshang said nothing, just requested two days’ leave from me. Well, she’s been away from home for quite a while, her family must be worried. Let her rest at home for a few days. Don’t be like a jailer, always so fierce and severe.”

“She truly said nothing to Your Majesty?” Ling Buyi couldn’t believe it. He knew how much the girl admired and trusted the Empress.

The Empress thought for a moment and said: “She only said that even if something happens, the Crown Prince and I need not worry—with you here, you’ll always handle everything properly.”

Ling Buyi’s face remained impassive, but his heart felt truly comforted. He had originally thought the girl would reveal everything to the Empress and Crown Prince in advance, worried that a leak might cause complications. He never expected that while she usually acted willfully and arbitrarily, when facing important matters she would show such judgment.

Over the next two days, Ling Buyi and Yuan Shen busily worked together to finalize Lou Ben’s crimes. The two men already found each other disagreeable, and now they completely ignored each other’s faces and avoided communication, only saying what needed to be said and hearing what needed to be heard.

Two days later, Cui You’s army finally returned triumphant to the capital. Since this rebellion suppression campaign was not large in scale and the victory came relatively smoothly, plus the Emperor’s mood was currently complicated, no grand triumphant ceremony was held. The ministers didn’t care about such superficial matters, only waiting for the merit rewards in a few days when each family’s sons would sit in rows to divide the fruits under Nanny Cui’s distribution.

—It was also at this time that Ling Buyi and Yuan Shen finally found ironclad evidence sufficient to convict Lou Ben.

Ling Buyi took leave of the Emperor, who was trembling with rage, and holding the imperial edict went straight to kill toward the Lou residence. Yuan Shen, who had reported together, was also conveniently appointed deputy and went along.

Arriving at the Lou residence, they saw the mansion decorated with lanterns and festoons inside and out, guests drinking and laughing, joyful voices and laughter carrying all the way to the alley entrance. Only then did the two realize the Lou family was hosting a banquet today. Yuan Shen hesitated: “Should we come back in half a day…”

Ling Buyi’s lips curled with mockery: “Would coming to arrest someone in half a day offend the Lou family any less? Either stay completely uninvolved, or see the matter through to the end.”

Yuan Shen’s expression darkened as he fell silent.

Court Gentleman Lou, hearing that the Emperor had sent people, quickly led his sons and nephews to welcome them. Seeing the formation of Ling and Yuan, he immediately realized this probably wasn’t the Emperor coming to reward them. Still, Lou Ben had good composure. Seeing great disaster approaching, he actually maintained his composure, even smiling as he invited Ling and Yuan to speak in the inner hall, at least preserving some face for the Lou family before the guests.

As they walked toward the inner hall, Lou Ben’s wife Wang Yanji and several female relatives hurried over. Ling Buyi glanced at someone behind Wang Yanji and frowned: “Where have you been these past two or three days? I had no time to look for you, but you’ve run here.”

Shaoshang said helplessly: “Today the Lou residence is hosting a banquet. The Second Young Madam invited my mother—oh, she’s gone to change clothes.” She looked at her fiancé’s full crimson court robe attire and sighed, “So you did obtain evidence after all?”

Wang Yanji’s face paled: “…What, what evidence… Shaoshang, you, our two families are…”

Ling Buyi, unwilling to entangle outside, said directly: “You all come as well.”

Arriving at the inner hall, Ling Buyi said bluntly before everyone: “I imagine Ziwei already knows why Vice Minister Yuan and I have come. You might as well explain to your family and come with me to the Court of Judicial Review.”

“The, the Court of Judicial Review?!” The Second Madam Lou was so shocked her whole body trembled. “What do you mean?! Didn’t Ziwei just establish great merit! How, how can this be…” Even though she never concerned herself with outside affairs, she knew the Court of Judicial Review was not a place for drinking and dining.

Shaoshang, meeting Wang Yanji’s agitated and panicked gaze, smiled bitterly: “To be honest, I don’t understand the hidden circumstances very clearly either.” Then she said curiously to Yuan Shen, “How is Young Master Shanjian here too?”

Yuan Shen sighed weakly and continued keeping his mouth shut.

Ling Buyi said coldly: “Lou Ben colluded with the rebel general Ma Rong, deceived Tongniu County Magistrate Yan Zhong into entrusting his family and refined copper, then slaughtered them all. He then directed Ma Rong to trick open the Tongniu County gates, finally pretending to have persuaded Ma Rong to open the city and surrender—the two coordinated from inside and out, executing this plan to kill three birds with one stone!”

Court Gentleman Lou turned pale with shock: “Where does this come from! How could this be…”

The First Madam Lou tensed her face, her gaze toward Lou Ben both fierce and contemptuous. The Second Madam Lou had already collapsed on her daughter-in-law Wang Yanji, sobbing intermittently.

“I’ll say my old line again,” Lou Ben said unhurriedly, “if you want to convict me, you can’t rely solely on speculation and conjecture. Produce the evidence!”

Ling Buyi said: “I’ve come to the Lou residence’s door today precisely to grant your wish.”

Lou Ben’s face twitched: “I’m all ears.”

“You were thorough—nearly all the people originally involved were silenced, even Ma Rong…”

“Oh, so now even Ma Rong was killed by me?”

“You didn’t originally want to kill Ma Rong, but seeing you couldn’t kill Wan Songbai, you could only kill Ma Rong.”

Lou Ben gave a cold laugh without comment.

Ling Buyi said: “I thought, if even a mere minor official’s wife knew to leave some traces as a precaution, how could Ma Rong have no safeguards at all? After all, you were only united by mutual benefit—where was the heartfelt trust? Moreover, witnessing Yan Zhong, who truly trusted you with all his heart, die with his entire family, I don’t believe Ma Rong would be completely unmoved! So I investigated Ma Rong’s movements—discovering that after he tricked open the Tongniu County gates, he never returned home. First he garrisoned the county seat, then was ‘persuaded’ to surrender, afterward serving under Marquis Cui’s command. If he wanted to hide something, where would he hide it?”

Shaoshang’s mind flashed with inspiration as she blurted out: “Tongniu County?!”

Ling Buyi glanced at the girl: “Correct, it was Tongniu County. There, Ma Rong not only garrisoned for nearly a month but wandered the streets and alleys daily, claiming to ‘inspect the people’s hardships.'”

Yuan Shen, absorbed in listening, couldn’t help asking: “Where exactly did you finally find ‘those things’?”

Ling Buyi said: “Ma Rong walked through nearly the entire county seat. To search place by place would take ten days to half a month. However, Ma Rong was just a martial man without such meticulous thinking…” He smiled, looking at Lou Ben. “To the north of Tongniu County is Niutou Ward. In the ward is a tavern called ‘Mupin.'”

Shaoshang was still quietly tracing these characters in her palm when Court Gentleman Lou, Yuan Shen and others immediately understood, their gazes shooting toward Lou Ben—ox head plus male-female equals three oxen.

Lou Ben began losing his composed expression.

Ling Buyi continued: “In that tavern, my subordinates discovered drilling marks on the wall of one private room. Digging it open, they found a large bundle of bamboo slips containing letters you wrote to County Magistrate Yan over this time—from your first meeting, arranging to meet, inciting Yan Zhong to relocate his elderly mother and young children elsewhere, even the appointed times and places… everything was there. I guess you had Ma Rong destroy these letters to Yan Zhong after entering the city, but he kept them instead.”

Shaoshang thought that when Ling Buyi was investigating Li Feng’s wife, he probably also investigated Ma Rong as a matter of course.

Lou Ben forced himself to remain calm: “Oh, were they really written by me? Zicheng must have been mistaken.”

Ling Buyi said: “Those letters didn’t specify any names. Only at the signature was drawn a small rhombus flower mirror.”

Wang Yanji looked at her husband in confusion.

“Not only that, I once saw the local customs records Ziwei presented at His Majesty’s imperial desk. The handwriting didn’t match the writing on those letters,” Ling Buyi said.

Lou Ben’s face recovered some color as he smiled: “Since there are no names specified and the handwriting is different, how can you say those letters were written by me to County Magistrate Yan?”

“Precisely because of this, I kept those letters secret,” Ling Buyi said. “However, I remembered Vice Minister Yuan. His Majesty has praised Vice Minister Yuan’s skill with ink several times in my presence, saying he can write multiple calligraphic scripts—so I thought, since Ziwei and Vice Minister Yuan studied under the same master, if Vice Minister Yuan has this talent, then Ziwei must be no less accomplished.”

“However, Master Ouyang long ago wandered the world. Finding him again would take who knows how long. Moreover, Master Ouyang is famously carefree and unrestrained—forget his disciples’ writings, he casually discards even his own manuscripts. This truly stumped me…”

Yuan Shen twitched his lips: “No matter, you have me.”

Ling Buyi smiled at him: “Though Vice Minister Yuan is young, he is steady by nature. The bamboo slips and silk scrolls His Majesty bestows are all carefully stored, orderly and neat. I wondered whether when Master Ouyang departed, he also entrusted his books and writings…”

Yuan Shen smiled without warmth: “The master didn’t entrust them. I was meddlesome myself, collecting all the bamboo slips the master scattered everywhere, drying them and covering them with oiled cloth for proper storage.”

Shaoshang detected deep sorrow in this tone.

“Vice Minister Yuan and I searched through the Yuan residence for several days and finally found poems and miscellaneous writings you wrote to your teacher and fellow students before age twenty, in various scripts. Among them was handwriting identical to that in the letters to Yan Zhong! His Majesty still couldn’t believe it and summoned several calligraphy masters to examine them. All said ‘though the cursive script shows differences in maturity and refinement, it was definitely written by the same person.’ Lou Ziwei, when experts act, they definitely won’t wrong you. At this point, what more do you have to say?!” Ling Buyi placed one hand on the table, calm as deep waters and steady as mountains, his presence imposing.

Court Gentleman Lou tremblingly collapsed to the floor. The Second Madam Lou covered her face weeping miserably. But the First Madam Lou stepped forward, mocking coldly: “I thought you’d established great merit outside, acting so arrogant and domineering at home these past two days. But it turns out you did such shameful deeds! Nephew, if you lack talent then you lack talent. What’s wrong with learning from your cousin to live peacefully? Why must you harm others and yourself? Now you’ve committed great crimes—don’t implicate the entire family…”

Shaoshang couldn’t listen anymore and was about to speak sarcastically when she saw Wang Yanji’s skirts swirl as she walked in a few steps before the First Madam Lou and delivered a resounding slap. Everyone was shocked. The First Madam Lou was knocked to the ground, one hand supporting herself on the floor, one hand covering her face, both shocked and angry: “You you… you dare…?!”

Wang Yanji pulled the gold hairpin from her hair and with a swish stabbed it into the floor, saying viciously: “If you dare say one more word, I’ll make your blood splash five steps!”

The First Madam Lou was frightened by this gaze. Everyone looked and saw the gold hairpin stabbed precisely between the First Madam Lou’s fingers—a bit closer and it would have pierced her palm.

Court Gentleman Lou stood up stamping his feet: “Shut your mouth, don’t speak another word.”

Wang Yanji stared blankly at her husband: “Is… is all this true…?”

Lou Ben smiled miserably: “Yes, it’s all true.”

Wang Yanji’s tears fell: “Why did you do such things! Was this the only way to establish merit?!”

“For father’s grievances, for our future, for my own ambitions…” Lou Ben said. “Having reached this point, I have no face to see you. From now on, go back home. You’re still young—remarrying won’t be too late.”

Wang Yanji said hoarsely: “By saying such words now, are you trying to kill me?! But rest assured, I will naturally remarry. I absolutely won’t waste my life for you!”

Lou Ben smiled at his wife, then turned his head: “Does Zicheng know—everyone hopes to be born in peaceful prosperous times, but I alone have most regretted not being born several decades earlier.”

Ling Buyi said: “In those years when the Tyrant Emperor ruled with cruelty, heroes rose together, military stars gathered in clouds. If Ziwei could have met that time, you could surely have overturned heaven and earth, directed rivers and mountains, and accomplished great deeds.”

Lou Ben cupped his hands, smiling: “Well said, Zicheng. I thank you here first for your understanding friendship.”

Ling Buyi said: “I understand Ziwei’s ambitions. However, advancing step by step, accumulating official rank, gradually becoming a pillar of the state—this too is a broad thoroughfare.”

Shaoshang had wanted to say her Third Uncle started as a county deputy, and only this year was promoted to county magistrate—wasn’t that quite good?

Lou Ben smiled arrogantly: “I was born with this temperament—I cannot submit to others. To make me start as a petty clerk, wearing down my grand ambitions in insincere flattery, wearing them down in meaningless maneuvering—I’d rather never set foot in court my entire life.”

Shaoshang: Third Uncle shot while underground—so county deputy also counts as petty clerk.

“So you slaughtered Yan Zhong’s entire family to use as a stepping stone for advancing in your official career!” Ling Buyi’s tone grew increasingly severe.

Lou Ben shook his head: “Marquis Cui is cautious. How could military and state affairs allow me, a mere commoner, to point and gesture? If I boldly ran to give Marquis Cui advice and strategies, who would listen to me, who would respect me? I needed some credentials to make people trust me.”

Court Gentleman Lou, tears streaming down his aged face, pulled at his nephew’s sleeve: “Ziwei, why did you do such base things? Our Lou family isn’t without reputation. You could have taken it slowly…”

“Uncle, stop pretending.” Lou Ben sneered, interrupting. “Everyone says Court Gentleman Lou is honest and loyal, but which family member doesn’t know about uncle’s petty calculations?”

Court Gentleman Lou was at a loss for words.

“Speaking of which, I must thank Zicheng. Several years ago Zicheng recommended me before the Eastern Palace.” Lou Ben continued addressing Ling Buyi. “I heard Zicheng told the Crown Prince—Lou Ziwei is a great talent in planning governance. Confining him in the Classics Institute to excerpt and copy passages is wasteful. He should be given an opportunity to display his abilities.”

Ling Buyi said quietly: “I only saw your scholarship, not your character.”

Lou Ben said: “Therefore, though I never spoke deeply with Zicheng, in my heart I already considered Zicheng a kindred spirit.”

Shaoshang thought: The last person who considered you a kindred spirit, County Magistrate Yan, had his entire family die. Seems it’s better not to be your kindred spirit.

“Unfortunately, the Crown Prince didn’t listen to Zicheng. Zicheng, do you know why?” Lou Ben said.

Shaoshang’s interest was piqued.

Lou Ben glanced at Court Gentleman Lou, smiling sarcastically: “Because my good uncle, full of humble words, declined the Crown Prince’s recommendation, saying I was still young and should travel and observe more, gain a few more years of experience before taking on responsibilities.”

Court Gentleman Lou sighed with a face full of painful regret: “…It’s all my fault. I listened to your First Aunt…”

“Stop blaming First Aunt.”

Lou Ben said coldly, “A true man—pushing everything onto women, how can you do such a thing! If you wanted to recommend me for official position, could First Aunt have devoured you? Actually you secretly hoped your own son would distinguish himself, but unfortunately all my cousins are incompetent. Back when you quarreled with father, you feared that if I succeeded, I would suppress your sons in the future, so you always obstructed my path forward, isn’t that so?!”

Court Gentleman Lou, scolded until his face flushed red, stammered: “You you… how dare you slander…”

Lou Ben ignored him, slowly walking to the window where a long sword inlaid with gemstones and jade hung on the wall.

He sighed deeply: “These years I’ve traveled the four seas, but His Majesty only praised my literary talent and learning, not knowing my ambition is to use rivers and mountains as the board and stars as the pieces. The Crown Prince obeyed uncle’s every word. I had no path forward, pursuers behind. Seeing Junior Fellow Yuan this year only twenty-one, already with a position in the Imperial Secretariat, while I still don’t know where to settle. “Eagles cannot fly beneath low eaves, great rocs cannot swim in shallow pools. Since youth I’ve aimed to enter the central government, but never expected to fall to this state. Alas… it’s fate, it’s destiny…” He turned around, smiling slightly at his wife. “Ayan, it seems I cannot accompany you to seek the immortal realm of Penglai in the Eastern Sea…”

Ling Buyi’s heart jolted as he shouted sternly: “Stop!”

What happened then happened quickly—sword light flashed as Lou Ben had already drawn the long sword from the wall and drew it across his throat.

Court Gentleman Lou and the Second Madam Lou cried out in shock. Wang Yanji rushed forward like a madwoman, but saw blood already gurgling from her husband’s throat as he died.

…

Three days later, the Emperor first imprisoned Peng Zhen and his confederates, planning to choose a good day for execution in the future, while simultaneously rewarding merit for the Shouchun campaign. Because Nanny Cui arranged things well, except for a few young heroes who truly caught the eye, everyone else basically received rewards ‘distributed according to injury severity’—almost everyone was satisfied. Even Young Marquis Ban, who had only done clerical work, received rewards and official rank.

Only the Lou family was an exception.

Lou Ziwei, who had established the greatest merit in this campaign, suddenly committed suicide. Simultaneously, the Emperor exiled County Deputy Lou and his sons a thousand miles away, stripped all Lou clan members of their official positions, and ordered the First Branch to immediately return to their ancestral home with their entire family and reflect behind closed doors.

—Though the crime wasn’t explicitly stated, many old hands in court already understood.

The only exception was Lou Yao.

It was said that the day before the Emperor was to convict the Lou family, several of General He’s old comrades-in-arms suddenly requested an audience with the Emperor, tearfully begging the Emperor to show mercy considering the He family’s orphans and widows.

The Emperor was a sentimental person. Considering Lou Yao had no knowledge of his brother’s evil deeds, if Lou Yao wasn’t pardoned, should He Zhaojun remarry or go into exile and suffer together? And who would comfort and raise the He family’s young child in the future?

After agonizing hesitation, the Emperor finally lifted a finger toward Lou Yao. Not only did he not exile him, he found a small place for him to serve as county magistrate. The He clan remnants could accompany him.

On this day without wind or snow, it was a rare clear sunny day since deep winter.

Shaoshang as usual followed the Empress’s order to deliver an imperial册 (a document in which the Empress formally reported matters to the Emperor in writing) to the Emperor, then was pulled by Ling Buyi to stand in the corridor sunning themselves. Before long Yuan Shen also came over. No one knew who started it, but the three couldn’t help discussing Lou Ben back and forth.

“Senior Brother Ziwei was a pity. Speaking only of ability, no one in our school could surpass him,” Yuan Shen sighed. “One moment of wrong thinking, eternal damnation. Now the whole family is convicted, his wife has returned to her natal family—truly don’t know what it was all for.”

“Just so-so. The scheme he painstakingly planned was seen through by us in just a few days,” Shaoshang remarked.

Ling Buyi raised his elegant eye corners: “You saw through it too?”

Shaoshang gave him a look.

Yuan Shen said: “If not for Magistrate Wan’s coincidence, Lou Ziwei’s calculations would have succeeded.”

“This is called ‘heaven’s net is vast—though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes!'” Shaoshang said. “Everything has a bottom line. Lou Ziwei crossed the line!”

Ling Buyi said neither positively nor negatively: “So Lady Cheng hates evil this much.”

Shaoshang gave him another look.

“Who doesn’t like fame and fortune? But the superior person loves wealth but obtains it through proper means!” Shaoshang said indignantly. “What eagles and great rocs—who doesn’t want to succeed in one leap and soar into the sky? But you can’t become fat in one bite. You have to take it step by step. But him? The stars, moon, and sun must all revolve around him. Must he come out ranked among the Three Excellencies right away? How could it be so easy? Is His Majesty his birth father? Oh, even a birth father wouldn’t work. When things don’t go his way he can indiscriminately kill the innocent? Ha ha, this excuse isn’t novel or refined at all! Just look at Young Master Yuan—is the Yuan family’s status inferior to the Lou family? Didn’t Young Master Yuan start at age fifteen in the Classics Institute, honestly and steadily, one footprint at a time, until now gaining His Majesty’s favor and being selected for the Imperial Secretariat, able to participate in important state affairs—did all this fall from the sky?!”

Hearing the girl lavishly praise him, Yuan Shen watched Ling Buyi’s face look as if someone had slashed it, and couldn’t help turning his face to laugh, laughing with extreme pleasure.

“Oh, right.” Shaoshang finished expressing her sentiments and turned: “Young Master Yuan, didn’t you say last time your marriage prospects had narrowed from five to three? How is it now?”

Yuan Shen was like a fighting cock whose neck had been grabbed—his laughter stopped abruptly. Now it was Ling Buyi’s turn to burst into a series of laughs, also laughing with extreme pleasure.

“No need for Shaoshang Jun’s concern—it’s already down from three to two!” Yuan Shen stiffened his face, flicked his long sleeves and left resolutely.

Shaoshang called after Yuan Shen’s back: “Young Master Shanjian, work harder! Next time it’ll be choosing one from two—you can hold the wedding feast!”

Yuan Shen stumbled, then continued walking forward as if nothing happened.

Seeing no one in the corridor now, Shaoshang quickly tugged at Ling Buyi’s lapels: “Stop laughing, quickly stop! This is where His Majesty conducts affairs. Laughing so loudly, be careful the censors impeach you for improper conduct!”

Ling Buyi finally stopped laughing with difficulty, his shoulders still shaking.

Shaoshang said: “Because I’ve always been discourteous in speech toward Yuan Shen, you’re relatively polite to him, while with Ayao it’s the opposite, right?”

Ling Buyi glared at the girl: “I haven’t settled accounts with you yet, but you’re questioning me first. Where did you go these past days—did you go find He Zhaojun?”

Shaoshang leaned on the railing, sighing: “At the time I saw the Lou family couldn’t be saved. Even the lightest punishment of exile is life-threatening. But Ayao is truly innocent. I couldn’t just turn a blind eye, so I went to find He Zhaojun.”

Ling Buyi said: “I wondered how they petitioned His Majesty so timely—it was you.”

Shaoshang spread her hands helplessly: “I had no choice. Those He family old friends aren’t always in the capital. His Majesty was in a rage at the time. If I truly waited for him to issue the punishment decree it would be too late. I could only have He Zhaojun find the nearby prefecture and county old friends and uncles in advance to petition His Majesty early.”

Ling Buyi sneered: “At the time you pretended to be skeptical, but turned around and had He Zhaojun summon reinforcements—you two-faced little scoundrel!”

Shaoshang contemplated for a moment: “I truly was skeptical at the time. Without evidence how can you convict someone? You hadn’t told me about Lou Ben’s letters then. However…” She sighed. “I feel I should still trust you. You rarely do things without certainty.”

Ling Buyi snorted lightly and turned his head away, but the corner of his mouth in profile curved slightly upward.

“In a few days I need to see off Ayao and He Zhaojun. To avoid you giving me looks again then, some words are better said clearly in advance.” Shaoshang circled in front of Ling Buyi, looking directly at him.

“Third Brother said the reason you’re so fixated on Ayao is because if we disregard the Emperor’s decree and parents’ orders, and just let me choose between you and Ayao, I would mostly choose Ayao. …I think, well, he’s right about that.”

Ling Buyi was furious and turned to leave, but was firmly held back by the girl gripping his sleeve—”But that was before!” she shouted.

Ling Buyi stopped walking but didn’t turn his face back.

“Before, you and I weren’t familiar. You were like a fierce tiger with bright eyes and white forehead ready to devour people, always dictatorial and so fierce. Ayao was honest and obedient—whatever I said he agreed to. Of course I’d choose him!” Shaoshang said quietly.

Ling Buyi turned his face back, snorting low from his nose: “What about now?”

“Now?” Shaoshang quickly said, “Need you ask! If you and Ayao were both placed on the dining table, even if Ayao had been roasted until dripping with oil and deliciously fragrant, while you’re still a piece of raw meat, I’d only bite into you!” She couldn’t help using her mystical charlatan brother’s phrasing.

Ling Buyi couldn’t help smiling, gently rubbing the girl’s forehead hair. “Always picking nice words to coax me!” His heart filled with joy, reflected in eyes bright as stars on a clear night.

Shaoshang leaned against him for a while, her fingers touching again those strange iron wires at his wrist. “What is this exactly? It’s not rope, not silk thread—why do you wrap it around your sleeve?”

Ling Buyi suddenly pushed the girl away, standing with his back to her, his handsome face inexplicably flushing with shallow red. After a long while, he finally murmured to himself: “You probably never knew—I’ve actually been thinking of you all along.”