Although Shaoshang could now come and go freely, opening the family gate wide in the middle of the night still alarmed Old Man Cheng and Madam Xiao. The couple hurriedly threw on their robes and came out, only to see their daughter already fully prepared to depart in astonishment.

On the pitch-black outer robe, ink-wash birds and flowers in contrasting colors were embroidered with silver thread. Her slender waist was tightly bound, wrist guards and leather protection in place, on her legs a pair of snow-bright, straight tall boots. Her full head of thick, beautiful hair was bound into a smooth high topknot. Aside from several silver clasps hidden in her hair, she had no other ornaments on her person. The girl’s entire being appeared cold and condensed, solemn, emanating a faint chill.

The more Madam Xiao looked, the more her heart trembled. Even when her daughter traveled far, she had never dressed so solemnly.

“Where are you going?! In three days you’re getting married and you’re fooling around like this, in the middle of the night… there’s still a curfew outside!” Cheng Shi saw his daughter leading the eight guards the Empress had given her straight toward the main gate and shouted anxiously.

Shaoshang turned back and smiled slightly: “I’ve disturbed Father and Mother. It’s nothing urgent. I have business and am going out for a bit. Please Father and Mother continue sleeping…”

Old Man Cheng was so anxious the veins on his forehead bulged. While shoving his arms into his outer robe sleeves, he shouted loudly: “How can we sleep with you stirring things up like this! Who are you fooling around with…”

“Has something happened to Ling Buyi?” Madam Xiao suddenly said.

Shaoshang’s gaze snapped back, a hint of admiring smile floating at her lips. Before she could answer, a Cheng family servant came running hurriedly from ahead. He knelt before Shaoshang and said: “Reporting to Young Lady, this humble one went to see the Marquis of Chengyang’s residence. After knocking for ages, only one old servant came to open the door, saying only that Marquis Ling’s entire family went to their villa outside the city yesterday. It sounds like they’re going to celebrate his fiftieth birthday.”

Shaoshang narrowed her eyes: “Just as I thought.”

“…Something really happened to Ling Buyi?”

Madam Xiao stumbled. Cheng Shi quickly supported his wife. The couple exchanged glances, both recalling the Lantern Festival palace banquet from the month before last.

It was noon at that time. Shaoshang and Ling Buyi stood on either side of the Emperor and Empress respectively. Under the sunlight and shadows, the former stood under the eaves while the latter walked onto the palace steps. Though the girl was in the cold, secluded shadows, her whole body radiated vitality and vigor. The young man, though in the sunlight, surrounded by stars holding up the moon, could be said to have flowers adorning brocade and fierce fire cooking oil, yet faintly emanated an air of gloom and cold indifference.

Madam Xiao felt inexplicably uneasy and asked her husband when they returned home: “Have I truly rarely misjudged people?”

Cheng Shi complimented his wife: “Even that year with the Chen traitor, you were only initially deceived. Before long you sensed something was wrong, so we could escape in time. Same with Niaoniao—you had prejudice at first, but later didn’t you increasingly feel she was good?”

Madam Xiao said gloomily: “What if there’s someone I initially didn’t think much of, but later increasingly felt was wrong?”

Cheng Shi said: “The longer you observe people, the more accurate you are. Without exception.”

Madam Xiao said: “I hope there’s an exception this time. Because this time I feel Ling Zicheng is wrong.”

Afterward, the couple discussed at length and both decided to let it go. After all, he was the Emperor’s adopted son, a young powerful minister, and moreover their future son-in-law. They couldn’t make trouble without cause just because of Madam Xiao’s intuition, right? As a result—

Shaoshang curtsied to her parents and said respectfully: “Please Mother and Father rest first. I imagine nothing will happen in the capital, but please Mother keep the gate guards vigilant just in case. Your daughter takes her leave first, going to… I’ll go and come back.”

Madam Xiao stepped forward and shouted sternly: “You are not permitted to go out! If something is wrong with Ling Zicheng, you can send someone to inform the palace. Why must you go yourself! Are you thinking of leaving the city? What if something happens? Besides, you can’t get out the city gate anyway!”

Shaoshang paused in her steps, turned to look at her birth mother, and said word by word: “Mother, rest assured. What should be reported, I’ve already reported. However, tonight I still must go out, and you cannot stop me.”

Madam Xiao stamped her foot in fury and shouted: “Someone, seize the young lady…”

At this moment, the Cheng residence’s main gate, already half-open, was heavily pushed open. Then a group of armored guards in golden armor wearing cloaks embroidered with the Changqiu Palace emblem poured into the Cheng family residence like flowing water. The young leader at the front, whose golden helmet bore twin phoenixes with spread wings, half-knelt before Shaoshang and cupped his fists: “This subordinate received orders and rushed here, awaiting Lady Cheng’s commands.”

Surrounded by guards, Shaoshang slowly walked a step closer to Madam Xiao and said indifferently: “Her Majesty long ago gave me all manner of command tokens—above, I can enter the palace gates at night and access all places without hindrance; below, I can command the Changqiu Palace guards—it’s just I’ve never used them, and no one really knew.” This was the precedent from when the Empress served as regent to build the nation while the Emperor was away on campaign.

The Cheng family servants who had originally been about to seize Shaoshang hesitated, all turning back to request instructions with their gazes from their lady of the house.

Madam Xiao’s hands and feet turned ice cold. She shouted, losing her composure: “Niaoniao, don’t go! Whatever major matter there is, the Emperor and Empress will handle it. You, you…”

Shaoshang raised her head to look at her birth mother. The beautiful woman who was always neatly dressed and meticulous now had a panicked expression and lost bearing. Her heart felt desolate, yet she raised her chin high and said proudly: “Mother, don’t you think you’re managing me too late? Back then you didn’t manage me. Now, you can no longer control me either. …Let’s go!”

Cheng Shi stamped his foot in anger but could only support his trembling wife, watching helplessly as his daughter left through the main gate with the golden-armored guards. Beyond being angry, he still had to dispatch half of his own household troops plus four martial maids to follow his daughter.

…

When leaving through the city gate, the school captain on guard looked at Shaoshang with both surprise and wariness. However, fortunately she was leaving the city, not leading a group of fully armed guards into the city, so that school captain still let them pass according to orders.

The little spotted cow-pattern horse was now long-legged and robust, galloping like wind, no longer displaying its former chubby, clumsy, adorably foolish appearance. Shaoshang rode in the saddle, the whistling cold wind of early spring in her ears, around her the close martial maids Old Man Cheng had sent to catch up, plus the Empress’s guard unit trampling out rumbling hoofbeats—before, this familiar sound always made her feel at ease, because she knew that no matter what she encountered, there would always be one person who would bring heavenly soldiers and generals to rescue her, keeping her from danger.

But what about now… she had to go ask clearly in person, to give an accounting to her consistently unlucky life.

The silver clasps fastening her cloak collided against her chest, emitting clear tinkling sounds. Shaoshang came back to herself. Ahead, points of starlight appeared, moving and gathering into two long chains, like fire snakes coiling, accompanied by the same rumbling hoofbeats, swiftly cutting across the empty, cold plains.

Shaoshang signaled. The guard leader immediately had his subordinates gallop forward a stretch and shouted: “We are Changqiu Palace guards. Who are you, and why are you galloping outside the city in the deep of night?”

Two riders also emerged from the opposing army, calling back loudly: “We are the garrison from Chisu Peak Pass, under orders to transfer to Zhenyang Guard!”

After the guards finished asking and returned to the unit, Shaoshang had the leader call out for everyone to continue galloping. Who knew that before long they encountered another group of troops. After inquiring, they learned these came from North Shengshan Camp, also under orders to transfer to the imperial gardens west of the capital.

Continuing forward like this, Shaoshang’s group encountered two more contingents marching at night. Among them was coincidentally one force from Zhenyang Guard being transferred elsewhere. Now even the guard leader found it strange. He slowed his horse and asked tentatively: “May I ask Lady Cheng, why are there so many troop transfer orders tonight?”

Shaoshang said: “In the school captain’s view, what should these transfer orders be pointing toward?”

The guard leader scratched his head: “These several places are all small camp garrisons, with numbers ranging from over a thousand at most to only three to five hundred at least. From what we just heard, they’re not being transferred to one place but coming and going from east to west, replacing each other. This humble officer truly cannot see what the intention is.”

The corners of Shaoshang’s mouth held a trace of cold smile: “Having no intention is also a kind of intention.”

The guard leader didn’t understand: “Then should we… continue…?”

Shaoshang decisively waved her hand: “Ignore it. We continue on our way. How much further to the Ling family villa?”

The guard leader didn’t dare look down on the young girl before him. Though she was young and female, she faintly carried an air of decisive wind and thunder. He estimated and answered: “Soon, another half hour.”

After bouncing on horseback for roughly an hour and a half, Shaoshang felt her entire body’s muscles and bones sore and aching, as if being squeezed through the birth canal again to come into this strange and dangerous world. But she forcibly endured without making a sound—so people come into this world just to endure suffering and deception again and again? Then why bother making the effort to walk this human world journey at all?

For a moment tears filled her lashes, then she silently wiped them away.

Looking from afar at the Ling family villa built at the mountain’s foot, it was already a sea of flames, mixed with screams and curses. The roaring firelight appeared especially prominent in the pitch-black night. Some were buildings on fire, burning even more fiercely in the howling cold wind. More were the torches held high by those soldiers carrying thick bloody scents, surrounding the Ling clan completely in circles, like a perilous, vast sea of stars.

The guards riding around Shaoshang were stunned, asking in amazement “What happened?” “Who’s so bold as to dare attack and kill a court marquis’s villa?” “It doesn’t look like bandits but rather like the court’s army.” “Oh no, could the Ling family be rebelling and the court sent troops to suppress them?” “Should we rescue or not…”

Among everyone, only Shaoshang remained expressionless, riding down the slope with calm composure as usual.

The soldiers surrounding the villa saw a group riding over and immediately went forward to block them. Shaoshang had the guards step aside and rode forward herself, directly asking: “Who leads you? Zhang Shan, or Li Si, or perhaps the Liangqiu brothers?”

These soldiers were Ling Buyi’s private troops. When they saw Shaoshang’s face, they froze in place—thanks to this past year of being inseparable with Ling Buyi, entering and exiting together, how many people had seen Shaoshang’s appearance? More than just one or two.

“You needn’t be troubled. I only brought several dozen Changqiu Palace guards. We won’t interfere with your business.” Shaoshang said lightly. “Just have someone lead me to find Ling Buyi. These guards will remain on the outer perimeter waiting.”

The guard leader grew nervous: “Lady Cheng, how can we let you go in alone! Her Majesty knowing of this won’t spare us either!”

Shaoshang waved her hand to stop him from continuing: “I won’t be in danger. Her Majesty knows my temperament and won’t blame you.”

Those several soldiers discussed in low voices for a few moments and decided to let Shaoshang in—everyone in the entire capital knew Ling Buyi and his fiancée were deeply in love, lingering and reluctant to part. Whoever offended Young Lady Cheng would have more trouble than offending Ling Buyi himself.

Shaoshang dismounted and untied the reins, leaving the Empress’s guard unit behind, bringing only four martial maids to walk inside.

This enormously large villa could now be divided into east and west halves. The eastern side seemed already pacified, with people holding torches standing guard everywhere, still catching fish that had slipped through the net in every corner and cranny. The western half still transmitted bursts of fighting sounds—there should still be people resisting.

Head-on were corpses dripping with fresh blood lying scattered across the ground, one after another ferocious, blood-stained dead faces terrifying as nightmares—Shaoshang silently stepped over them.

Though Ling Yi was often looked down upon by important ministers like Marquis Cui, he had after all risen through military merit and had followed along campaigning east and west for many years. His household generals and troops had all been tempered on battlefields. Thus when attacking this villa, there must have been a brutal battle.

Passing through threshold after threshold and courtyard after courtyard, Shaoshang finally came before a solemn, tall main building. She saw Liangqiu Qi kneeling on the ground reporting to Ling Buyi: “…Just as the young master predicted, in these rows of large buildings there are not only hidden chambers but also two tunnels dug leading to the back of the mountain. If not for the young master having us prepare defenses in advance, that scoundrel would have escaped!”

Ling Buyi sensed someone behind him and slowly turned around. Seeing it was Shaoshang, he didn’t seem very surprised at all. Instead, he smiled gently, his tone mild: “Shaoshang, how did you come? You shouldn’t be here. Go back first. In a while I’ll come find you.”

—Just like many times when the girl slipped out of Changqiu Palace in the afternoon to seek him at the South Palace Assembly Hall.

Shaoshang felt her throat go dry, unable to speak for a moment.

At this time, Liangqiu Fei led several guards firmly escorting one person over. That person had a pale, refined face, middle-aged and elegant—it was precisely Ling Yi. Unfortunately, at this moment his hair was disheveled, his clothing torn, completely lacking his usual leisurely, refined bearing.

Upon seeing Ling Buyi, Ling Yi struggled and shouted loudly: “Zicheng, Zicheng, have you gone mad? Actually attacking your own father!”

Ling Buyi didn’t acknowledge him, still looking at Shaoshang: “Let me have someone send you back first.”

Ling Yi was kicked heavily to the ground by Liangqiu Fei. Several swords pressed together on his vital points. Ling Yi wailed, calling out loudly: “A’li, A’li, I am your father! I know you feel wronged about your mother’s death, but you and I are father and son! Blood is thicker than water. You cannot commit the great crime of patricide for your mother’s sake! A’li, wake up, don’t be confused. No matter how much His Majesty loves you, patricide is the crime of crimes among the ten abominations, deserving death by a thousand cuts! How can you escape…”

Shaoshang gazed at Ling Buyi’s beautiful amber-colored eyes and said with difficulty: “I only want to ask one question, one question you’ve owed me for a long time.”

Ling Buyi said softly: “Ask.”

“Who exactly are you? Ling Buyi, or Huo Wushang?” Shaoshang asked this question with her entire body aching.

Ling Buyi looked deeply at the girl, as if looking at an unreachable beautiful dream. After a long while, he slowly turned around and said to Ling Yi on the ground: “Uncle-in-law, A’li died long ago.”

Ling Yi stopped struggling, his face blank, as if he hadn’t understood.

Ling Buyi’s tone was gentle, yet increasingly made one’s hair stand on end: “A’li wore my clothes, was pierced through by a sharp long spear, then lifted high and planted on the city wall. Uncle-in-law, have you forgotten all this?”

Ling Yi’s mouth gaped open, his entire body as if struck by lightning.

Something cracked open in Shaoshang’s heart, trickling out something.

As her vision blurred, she discovered that today he wore exactly the robe from when they first met at the Wan family—brocade as fresh and red as blood, dark gold silk thread embroidering beast patterns, draped with a dark red wide-sleeved outer robe, woven gold belt and red-gold crown.

The night wind hunted, sweeping up the deep red intensity covering his entire body, like the red spider lilies covering the road to the Yellow Springs, overwhelming blood-colored spreading everywhere. At this moment, he was so handsome it made one sigh, yet so strange it made one’s heart tremble with fear.