The return journey was without incident, with favorable winds and smooth weather.

Ahead, Old Man Cheng, using public office for private purposes, led the great army to clear the way. Behind, the guard unit under Madam Xiao’s command, battle-hardened and tempered by fire, opened the path—it was said this guard unit ordinarily obeyed only her commands; even Cheng Shi had to take second place, and it was reputed that with equal numbers, their defensive line had never been breached.

But the closer they drew to the capital, the more aggrieved Shaoshang and Lou Yao became.

In the outer provinces and prefectures it had been fine, but once they entered the territory of Sili, Madam Xiao directly imposed upon her daughter the standards befitting a marriage alliance princess.

Forget about touring mountains and enjoying waters—she wasn’t even allowed to ride horses much. That brand-new golden-red small open carriage was pitifully hung behind the covered wagon, and Shaoshang could almost hear its whimpering cries. Confined within the exquisite and stable covered wagon, carefully observing all manner of ladylike etiquette, she was so stifled she was about to sprout. The warm, comfortable, light honey-colored skin she had just acquired over these past months rapidly whitened back to its famine-like pallor from being cooped up in the carriage all along the road.

Madam Xiao actually wasn’t opposed to her daughter riding horses. She herself was accomplished in both civil and martial arts and fully supported girls learning some skills in archery and horsemanship. It was just that once she released her daughter onto horseback, she would inevitably ride side by side with the Lou family boy, talking and laughing without restraint. They were already approaching the capital, and the flow of people along the official road was increasingly dense. Though the contemporary social customs were quite open, it was always better to be cautious.

Shaoshang had wanted to plead with Old Man Cheng for leniency, but who knew that because she had previously been overly protective of her fiancé, she had angered her own father. Now Cheng Shi wholeheartedly agreed that the young couple should be more ‘proper’—before his own marriage, he hadn’t even touched Madam Xiao’s hand, so what more did that Lou brat want?!

A corner of the carriage curtain lifted, and an exquisite wooden box tied with brocade cord was passed inside. Shaoshang hurriedly untied the cord and opened the box, pulling away the oiled cloth beneath to reveal a brilliant golden softness—it was fragrant, sweet-smelling dried peach fruit.

Shaoshang used a bamboo pick to spear a piece and taste it, smiling toward the young man on horseback riding alongside outside the carriage: “A’Yao, you were right, it really is better than what those two shops in the capital make!”

Lou Yao had just ridden hard for over an hour and was currently drenched in sweat, but seeing his fiancée’s smile that was even sweeter than the dried peach fruit, all his fatigue completely vanished. He smiled like a fully ripened, split-open big honey peach, saying: “This place isn’t far from the capital either. If you like it, I’ll frequently have people buy it for you!”

Shaoshang raised her exquisite eyebrows, beautiful as a little bird’s, but deliberately assumed a look of mild anger: “Really, you! Couldn’t you have had a servant go buy it? You actually made the trip yourself—you must be exhausted! Let me see, oh my, your temples are all damp with sweat! Come, let me wipe it for you!”

Then Young Master Lou obediently extended his head to let his fiancée reach out from the carriage to wipe away his sweat. Gazing at Shaoshang’s beautiful, clear, smiling face, he was so happy he nearly bumped his head into the carriage roof.

“Oh dear, this won’t do. With so much sweat on your face, who knows how much sweat is on your body! Quickly go back to your own carriage and change your inner garments before coming back out!” Shaoshang looked full of concern.

Lou Yao repeatedly said it wasn’t necessary, but the girl glared with her beautiful big eyes, pouted her red, glossy little mouth, and gently complained: “Won’t you listen to me? Then I won’t speak to you anymore! If you catch a chill from this and get sick, I’ll never eat dried peach fruit again for the rest of my life!” As she spoke, she made as if to throw the fruit box out of the carriage.

How could Lou Yao dare to disobey? He immediately made to go back and change clothes.

“Wait, wait, here, you have a piece too… Come come, open your mouth, ah, isn’t it sweet?” The girl used the bamboo pick to hold out a piece of fruit from the carriage. Lou Yao took it in one bite and rode off happily in a daze, riding straight past his own covered wagon. After coming to his senses, he sheepishly rode back four or five zhang.

Riding sidesaddle alongside, Madam Xiao watched this scene and secretly shook her head with a sigh.

In her eyes, her niece Cheng Yang had a gentle temperament, considered the big picture, was neither sharp nor willful, and was kind and affable. But these valuable qualities all paled in comparison to that vivid, spirited charm her daughter possessed.

She too had been through this—how could she not know that in the eyes of a hot-blooded young man, Cheng Yang was merely a solid, reliable table—sturdy, firm, and durable—while Shaoshang was the bright moon, the intoxicating spring breeze, the soul-stirring sea of clouds and misty cliffs.

Moreover, she now knew that her daughter wasn’t merely good at acting coquettish without understanding practical affairs.

Compared to her niece, what her daughter lacked was merely common knowledge and procedures; in adaptability and capability, she even surpassed her. She had expended great effort teaching Cheng Yang how to show both kindness and authority to subordinates, yet Shaoshang had learned it without any teacher, managing the entire medical compound in perfect order, driving all those physicians, apprentices, and servants to work diligently.

Post-disaster reconstruction required money everywhere, so Shaoshang naturally couldn’t dangle profit as incentive and could only entice with reputation. Every physician who worked from start to finish could obtain upon departure a scroll of white silk documents personally written by Cheng Zhi, describing how benevolent and devoted to medicine the person was, how diligent in their duties and never shirking, concluding with the county magistrate’s official seal affixed as commendation.

Her daughter had even used the remaining money from that cash box to bribe the shamanic diviners, who from time to time came to the medical compound to set up divination altars for readings—today calculating that this gentleman who saved the dying and healed the wounded day and night without distinction would surely receive karmic rewards in the next life, becoming greatly wealthy and noble with descendants filling his hall; another day calculating that a certain injured person who had been innocently harmed had Heaven’s Way feeling indignant on their behalf, and the blessings not fully enjoyed in this life would surely be doubled in the next… This both invigorated everyone’s morale and soothed their grief-stricken emotions—killing two birds with one stone.

Madam Xiao sighed again—

Besides, Lou Yao wasn’t even the eldest son. The eldest son’s wife needed to be steady and proper, but what harm was there if the youngest son’s bride was lively and playful? Moreover, she could handle accounts and manage affairs excellently, and her relationship with her son was good. She imagined that if Cheng Zhu wanted to marry such a bride, she would probably agree as well.

Truthfully speaking, this marriage was basically won by her daughter herself; she and her husband hadn’t expended half an effort yet had climbed the social ladder to become in-laws with an aristocratic great clan. According to the shaman’s explanation, such a daughter was simply reincarnated to repay debts—her parents hadn’t raised her previously, yet afterward she solved her own marriage matters and required no worry at all.

Madam Xiao shook her head with a bitter smile. Since childhood she hadn’t liked seeking divine guidance or fortune-telling, yet now she was beginning to believe in it.

Inside the carriage, Shaoshang smugly ate her snacks. Actually, she had long vaguely felt she had great talent for acting.

Back in her hometown, being stubborn and obstinate was unavoidable, but after entering university, she knew that a first-rate institution would inevitably be full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, with all sorts of academic overachievers and second-generation elites gathering together—the waters ran deep and were unfathomable. So she quickly cultivated herself, maintaining a meek and docile manner while playing the part of a delicate young miss from a Jiangnan water town, daily pretending to be gentle, lovable, and diligent. As for results? Did it count that she hooked a salted fish club president with excellent character, studies, and family background, plus several small fry from her department?

Thinking of this, Shaoshang felt another bout of heart-piercing pain. She hadn’t even taken a single bite of such a high-quality big fish before dying—what kind of rotten luck was this! Clearly with just a nod she could have picked apart the fish head, stripped the fish meat, and drunk the fish soup—wouldn’t that have been beautiful beyond measure? Yet she had actually been coy for two or three years? Thinking about it now, she wanted to give herself a beating—first love white moonlight really was fatal!

Take Text Message Girl, for example—before even graduating, six orchard owners, seven fish pond owners, and eight demolition compensation recipients had already come to her family to propose! Her parents worried every day about why domestic polyandry wasn’t legal!

Shaoshang privately calculated that securing Young Master Lou should be no big problem now. Next, winning over her future mother-in-law, Second Madam Lou, would make everything stable.

At this time, the sky was gradually darkening. Earlier that half-day, Cheng Shi had already sent the great army ahead into the Panqing Great Camp on the capital’s outskirts, then hurried with his household warriors and guards to rendezvous with his wife and daughter, planning to enter the city and return home together. When they were only ten li from the capital, Cheng Shi prepared to bid farewell to his future son-in-law.

The Cheng family residence was closer via the capital’s south gate, while the Lou family residence was more convenient via the north gate. If Lou Yao stubbornly accompanied the Cheng family through the capital’s south gate, he would have to traverse more than half the capital to get home, by which time curfew might already be in effect. The straight official road inserted from the west to the capital’s western city wall; the two families parting here would allow each to take the south and north gates respectively.

Lou Yao knew this time he couldn’t refuse and could only follow behind his family’s carriage train, turning his head back every few steps as he rode away on horseback.

Watching Lou Yao’s reluctant-to-part appearance made Cheng Shi uncomfortable all over. Turning back to see his own daughter clinging to the carriage window, waving her handkerchief with tears in her eyes, made his anger flare up even more. He couldn’t help but say sourly: “Niaoniao, pull your head back inside! You’ve only known each other a few days, yet you’re acting like it’s a matter of life and death separation! When your father went to Qingzhou to accept the surrender, I didn’t see you being so reluctant to part! “

Shaoshang pressed her silk handkerchief to the corners of her eyes, mumbling: “What are you saying, Father? When you went to Qingzhou, I had almost left Sili. Didn’t you and Mother have times of unbearable separation before your marriage? Didn’t Maternal Grandfather make things difficult for you? Can’t you put yourself in others’ shoes!”

Cheng Shi coughed several times, thinking to himself: Actually, no, we didn’t.

He had been directly promoted from an unfamiliar admirer of Miss Xiao to husband in a total time span of less than five days, three of which were spent helping to bury his future father-in-law, Old Master Xiao. The marital affection had all been cultivated after the wedding.

Cheng Shi glanced at his wife far ahead in the carriage train and said with a stern face: “Pull your head back inside and sit there properly!” Put myself in what shoes, compare what hearts?! He hated pre-marital lovey-dovey young couples the most! Back then, he had been trembling with fear before Miss Xiao, terrified she would come to her senses at any moment and want to break off the engagement.

After traveling for nearly another hour, the Kaiyang Gate on the south side of the capital was right before them. The four towering, massive tower structures on the city wall loomed in the darkening sky like four fierce beasts with bared fangs and claws, glaring down at those below the city.

Cheng Shi and Madam Xiao were about to step forward to present their city entry permit to the young general guarding the gate, but they saw the tall vermillion copper-studded great gate tightly closed, with sharp arrowheads faintly visible behind the city wall, and huge fire braziers lit at every battlement on the city wall.

Madam Xiao said: “Something’s wrong!”

Cheng Shi had his servants go forward to call for the gate to open, but the city gate remained closed. Only a light, casual voice drifted down from atop the gate, saying: “Oh, so it’s General Cheng. However, the city gate is currently under strict control, and entry and exit are both prohibited. This humble one dares to request that General Cheng rest temporarily at a suburban villa. By tomorrow, all will be well.”

Anger rose in Cheng Shi’s heart, and he called out loudly: “What exactly has happened? I have returned to the capital under imperial order—am I also not permitted to enter?!”

The voice from atop the city wall continued: “General, please don’t make things difficult for this humble one. Our superior’s strict orders are thus!”

Cheng Shi clenched his fists and angrily pounded once on his saddle, saying in a low voice to his wife: “City gates are usually sealed strictly to apprehend people—that’s when entry is permitted but exit is forbidden. Moreover, we have only this few people total. What could we do once inside the city?! It’s not like we’re enemy spies trying to infiltrate during a war between two armies! Hmph, it’s just because they see I’m from a humble background with a low official rank, so there’s no harm in treating me with contempt. If it were Elder Brother Wan here, let’s see if they’d open the city gate or not!”

Madam Xiao rode over and gently stroked her husband’s broad back, saying decisively: “It’s not worth getting angry over this. Let’s go rest at the villa.” Cheng Shi nodded. Angry as he was, he would never do something like forcing his way through the city gate.

The couple immediately ordered the carriage train to turn around and head toward the suburban villa. When Shaoshang learned of this, she too felt gloomy, wondering in her heart whether all the city gates were under strict control and whether Lou Yao had managed to enter the city. Who knew that before the carriage train had traveled more than a few steps, they heard behind them the huge city gate emit a creaking sound—the gate was actually opening.

Then from the pitch-black gate opening, dark as a beast’s den, a contingent of light-armored cavalry urgently galloped out. Each rider sat atop a tall horse with gleaming armor and weapons, and the sound of their galloping horses was like the roaring of tigers and wolves.

This several-hundred-strong light cavalry unit was like an unsheathed sword, suddenly piercing through the quiet city gate and swiftly passing by the Cheng family’s carriage train.

At this time, it seemed someone among the cavalry shouted, “That appears to be Colonel Cheng’s carriage train!” The commanding officer riding at the very front, surrounded on all sides by mounted escort guards, suddenly reined in his horse, turned, and rode back toward the Cheng family carriage train. The several hundred light cavalry behind him also followed their commander like flowing water, turning their horses back.

The Cheng couple, who had just been feeling sullen, were startled by this turn of events. Husband and wife looked at each other, not knowing what had happened.

In a moment, this young commanding officer wearing a silver-threaded gray-feathered great cloak had ridden up before them. Cheng Shi, seeing the person’s face clearly, clasped his hands in salute somewhat dazedly: “Commander… Ling… sir…” Though this person was young, he held many official positions, and for a moment Cheng Shi didn’t know which title to use.

Ling Buyi clasped his hands in return: “Colonel Cheng!”

Cheng Shi was at a loss for words.

He and Ling Buyi had seen each other before but had never spoken, nor did they have any connection. He was just planning to exchange a few polite words and be done with it when he saw Ling Buyi ride directly toward the covered wagon behind him. He and Madam Xiao were stunned for a moment, then hurriedly followed.

Ling Buyi’s eyes immediately found that conspicuous golden-red small open carriage. Riding to the side of the covered wagon, he called out softly: “Shaoshang, Shaoshang, are you inside?”

Shaoshang had been feeling stifled inside the carriage when she heard the familiar voice. She quickly moved aside the window lattice and stuck her head out to look up, seeing the young, handsome general mounted on a tall steed, his face like firm white jade, his eyes like clear amber.

“Commander Ling, why are you here too?!” she exclaimed in delighted surprise, then noticing the several hundred light cavalry surrounding the Cheng family carriage train, she knitted her slender brows. “Are you going to apprehend criminals again? Has the injury on your shoulder healed?”

Ling Buyi looked down at the girl with a soft smile: “It’s all healed. I must thank you for pulling out the arrow.”

At this time, the Cheng couple had ridden up on horseback.

“Niao… Shaoshang, you know Commander Ling?” Old Comrade Cheng didn’t even know himself why his own laughter sounded so dry. Looking again at his wife’s expression, he felt it was even worse than his dry laugh.

His foolish daughter smiled innocently and ignorantly: “Father, you don’t know—Commander Ling saved both Aunt and me! And, and, Commander Ling is also on very close terms with the Lou family. A’Yao treats him like an elder brother!”

Ling Buyi’s smile faded somewhat as he said: “Your complexion doesn’t look good. Are you ill again?” In the dim twilight, the girl’s face was pale and her spirits somewhat wilted, like a tiny flower bud drooping on its branch, listless.

Cheng Shi standing to the side very much wanted to say that actually his daughter always looked like this—as long as she didn’t deliberately bare her fangs and brandish her claws, but instead remained somewhat quiet, she would appear extremely weak and pitiable.

Shaoshang knew Ling Buyi held high position and great authority, but she didn’t want to trouble him. After all, he had helped and rescued them several times already—how many thank-you gifts would she need to prepare in the future? So she smiled: “…No matter, no matter. I just look like I have no strength, but actually I’m fine.”

Ling Buyi watched as the girl hesitated for a moment, then forced herself to appear very energetic. He smiled with exceptional gentleness: “You still have the energy to worry about me, so it seems you’re all right.” With that, he quietly gave a few instructions to the guard beside him.

Shaoshang thought: Uh, when did I worry about him?

Before she could think further, focusing her gaze, she recognized that guard. Ha, wasn’t this Deputy General Zhang, whom she hadn’t seen in quite a while?

Zhang Shan silently clasped his fist toward Ling Buyi, then rapidly rode toward the city gate.

Ling Buyi also spoke warmly to Cheng Shi: “After Colonel Cheng enters the city, don’t take the central thoroughfare. Take the side road through Yuyang Ward to return to your residence. As for what exactly has happened, the Colonel can inquire of General Wan tomorrow. For tonight, don’t come out and move about.”

Cheng Shi had just been standing there with his mouth open in bewilderment. Hearing this, he hastily clasped his fists in thanks.

Ling Buyi also very courteously returned the salute with clasped hands, his gaze warm and gentle, like the rising sun.

For some reason, this gaze made Old Comrade Cheng feel both guilty and flustered. He really wanted to shout, “Do you know my foolish daughter is engaged to the Lou family’s youngest son?”… but he never could muster the courage.

Ling Buyi placed one slender, powerful hand on the carriage frame. He bent his white, elegant neck and said softly into the carriage: “Rest well. I’ll come visit you in the future.”

Shaoshang hurriedly replied: “How could that be? It should be that when elder brother has some leisure time, A’Yao and I will come visit you!”

Ling Buyi’s gaze darkened. He said nothing more and, after briefly taking leave of the Cheng couple, once again galloped forward. The light cavalry gathered around the carriage train immediately followed, and in moments, like wind sweeping away the last clouds, the several hundred cavalry were completely gone.

At this time, from the opened city gate ran out a guard commander full of “oh my” exclamations—his voice was precisely that of the person who had spoken so casually earlier. Now he was all smiles, repeatedly apologizing and bowing deeply at the waist as he welcomed the Cheng family carriage train through the city gate.

Seeing they could finally go home, Shaoshang was jubilant, but she saw Old Man Cheng’s mouth opening and closing at the carriage side without saying anything. Finding this strange, she asked: “Father, what’s wrong with you?”

Cheng Shi sighed: “Nothing. Let’s go home first.”

After returning, he needed to do three things.

First, interrogate his daughter in minute detail about what people she’d met and what she’d done over these past months—not letting a single thing slip by.

Second, he needed to write a letter severely scolding his younger brother Cheng Zhi—how had he been watching his niece?! Even more hateful was that the couple hadn’t said anything to him and Yuan Yi?!

Lastly, Sister-in-law Sang had been right—his own foolish daughter, who thought herself clever, capable, and incredibly formidable, was slow-witted and ignorant about the most worldly and practical matters under heaven.

Shaoshang sensed Old Man Cheng’s hesitation to speak and pursued: “What exactly are you trying to say?!”

Cheng Shi helplessly waved his hand. Madam Xiao suddenly spoke: “Niaoniao, look behind you.”

Though Shaoshang found it strange, she still complied, seeing only those two huge vermillion city gates slowly closing again behind them.

“What did you see?” Madam Xiao asked.

Shaoshang felt baffled: “The city gates closed again.”

Madam Xiao forced a smile, said nothing, and rode her horse alone to the front of the carriage train.

—No. What you should have seen was power. Omnipresent power. And today you merely glimpsed one tiny corner of this boundless network of power.