At that moment, the Princess Consort glanced at Princess Yuyang’s own garment — a flowing wide-sleeved, fitted-waist robe of water-cloud Suzhou embroidery — and found it was quite similar in style to what Luoyun had been wearing before.
Han Yao chose this moment to shoot her mother a glance, the meaning of which was plainly: “I told you so.”
The Princess Consort pretended not to notice. Though she kept a smile on her face, she was inwardly quietly irritated. Yet faced with Princess Yuyang, there was nowhere to vent her feelings, and she found herself thoroughly stifled.
Fortunately, Su Luoyun was considerate enough to spare her mother-in-law’s face. She did not mention that the garment had been altered at the Princess Consort’s own arrangement, and simply smiled and said: “This is not like the capital, where one is always required to dress finely for banquets large and small. At home, managing daily affairs, a narrower sleeve is easier to move around in.”
Princess Yuyang shook her head in disagreement: “Now that I’m here, there will be no shortage of banquets—”
She stopped mid-sentence, for her husband had sent a meaningful glance in her direction.
Zhao Dong’s eyes were large to begin with, and when he narrowed them even slightly, they looked very much like a pair of full-weight brass bells. Princess Yuyang, well conditioned to this, hurriedly reined in her words.
Remembering the promise she had made to her husband on the road here, she smiled and pulled her remark back: “—Of course, in wartime, it would not be fitting to hold lavish banquets. What sort of amusements do you all ordinarily enjoy here?”
This subject suited Luoyun perfectly, and she said: “With spring on the way, the soldiers at the front still haven’t had their spring garments made up in full. I had been thinking for some time that it would be wonderful if someone could organize it — gathering the ladies of the various households together to sew military garments for the soldiers. Only I knew my own standing wasn’t sufficient to rally people, so I never took it on. Now that the Princess has come, one word from you would bring a hundred responses — the ladies of the surrounding prefectures and counties would all follow your lead.”
The Beizhen Prince’s household had always kept a low profile and was not well-positioned to take the lead in such matters. But if the Princess were to initiate it, there was no corner to which word would not spread freely.
Luoyun had raised the matter with her own private reason as well.
Other camps aside, the Qianxi Provisions Camp was suffering a particularly severe shortage of clothing.
Han Linfeng had recruited a good number of new soldiers, but they had no military garments — every one of them was dressed in a mismatched assortment. Han Linfeng had already overstepped his bounds in raising troops; for the Beizhen Prince’s household to conspicuously pour silver into equipping them would not be wise.
If enough garments could be sewn in time to clothe those new recruits, the morale of the provisions camp would certainly lift considerably.
Hearing Luoyun’s suggestion, Princess Yuyang nodded at once: “Excellent. With the men all gone to the front, we women in the rear must naturally do our part with full hearts.”
As she spoke, she glanced toward her husband, and seeing no trace of displeasure on his face, she agreed without hesitation.
The Princess then turned to the Princess Consort with a smile: “I alone cannot organize something like this. I shall need the Princess Consort to help manage things.”
The Princess Consort had been left to the side for quite some time, watching Princess Yuyang and Su Luoyun chatting warmly with no opening for herself to join in.
Now that the Princess had suddenly invited her to take part in organizing the sewing of military garments — something that could only enhance her own name and standing — the Princess Consort’s spirits lifted immediately, and she accepted with a warm smile.
Luoyun, for her part, used her eye condition as an excuse — and as the one who had proposed the idea, she withdrew from any further involvement.
After settling the question of how they would occupy themselves during their time in Liangzhou, Princess Yuyang recounted once more to both the Princess Consort and Luoyun the whole story of why she had come after her husband.
When she reached the part about her husband’s pronouncement in the imperial palace that he would divorce her, Princess Yuyang heaved a long sigh, but with a certain inexplicable note of pride in her voice said: “My Zhao Dong is simply that sort of man. In everyday matters he defers to me in everything — but the moment affairs of state are touched, he turns absolutely immovable. I had no choice. Since I couldn’t stop him, I simply came along.”
As Princess Yuyang spoke these words, she carried the air of someone showing off, as though the fact that her husband had threatened to divorce her was in itself evidence of admirable, manly resolve.
Su Luoyun, accustomed to Princess Yuyang’s various roundabout methods of boasting about her husband, found it entirely unsurprising.
The Princess Consort, however, had to exert considerable effort to keep from letting her eyes go wide.
After all, she too quarreled regularly with Prince Beizhen, and in the heat of it, flushed red and stiff with anger, she had on occasion made noise about separation herself — but such things were a household’s shame, kept firmly behind closed doors. Who in their right mind made an open spectacle of it?
It seemed she truly could not keep pace with the fashions of the capital. Whether it was the wide sleeves, or this sort of unguarded, shameless showing off, all of it was beyond her.
As for Princess Yuyang’s manner of “praising” Zhao Dong’s manly spirit, Zhao Dong himself had not heard a word of it.
He had no interest in sitting by and listening to the ladies ramble on about everything under the sun. What occupied Zhao Dong’s mind entirely at this moment was Han Linfeng.
After meeting with his father, Zhao Guibei had immediately launched into an eager account of Han Linfeng’s various remarkable deeds.
Among those Zhao Guibei held in the highest admiration, beyond his own father, Han Linfeng had now taken a firm second place.
This Shizi of ill repute, who ordinarily attracted no notice, was in fact full of resourcefulness and cunning — his martial skills were exceptional, and his ability was genuine.
The only pity was that when Zhao Guibei boasted of Han Linfeng’s skills to his companions in the Qianbei Camp, everyone looked at him sideways with expressions that clearly said “have you lost your mind?” — or laughed mockingly and said: “We don’t mind that you enjoy keeping company with Shizi Han, eating and playing together — but don’t try to spin that into something else. He has unmatched martial arts? My God, I suppose I can walk on walls and leap across rooftops too.”
In short, his fellow soldiers all assumed this was Zhao Guibei’s excuse to conceal his close association with a notorious wastrel.
This had left Zhao Guibei considerably aggrieved. Even upon seeing his father, he had hesitated — if he brought it up, would his father also assume he had been running around with Han Linfeng in shared debauchery?
Only after cautiously testing the ground and finding that his father did not immediately respond with mockery was he finally able to unburden himself completely.
Zhao Dong, on hearing all of it, was not fully convinced either, truth be told.
After all, the Han Linfeng he carried in his mind was still that painted, languid young lord from the capital.
Yet he was also inclined to believe his son.
For Zhao Dong had once seen a young Han Linfeng. He had been a boy who dared to break wild horses — spirited, vivid, full of life.
And so, after listening to his son’s account, he kept his expression unreadable and let the boy finish speaking.
But alone with his own thoughts, turning these things over in his mind, Zhao Dong was genuinely shaken — by his son’s account, whether it was the rescue of young Master Guo or the ambush at Ghost-Child Grove, Han Linfeng had shown a bold and cunning gift for unconventional warfare.
Talent like that did not emerge overnight. It required long years of honing, deep immersion in texts on strategy and military method — or perhaps he had simply been born with a natural gift for command.
But if he were truly that capable, why had Han Linfeng lived so recklessly and dissolutely in the capital?
And so from the moment he arrived in Huicheng and first set eyes on Han Linfeng, Zhao Dong had been quietly, carefully watching him without letting it show.
The Shizi before him now bore no trace of the powder-painted fashionable figure from the capital. Perhaps it was the frequent drilling under the sun, but his face had taken on a faint bronze coloring, which set off his thick brows and handsome eyes with a heightened air of martial vigor. His spine was perfectly straight — not the hollowed, drooping posture of a man emptied out by drink and indulgence.
This composed, quietly commanding man was utterly unlike the besotted, dissolute young lord of the capital — as different as two entirely separate people.
At this moment, Han Linfeng was accompanying General Zhao on a stroll through the garden of the Prince’s residence. Zhao Dong intended to stay here for several days — he had to inspect the Qianbei Camp as well.
Han Linfeng had also noticed Zhao Dong’s steady, appraising gaze, and made no attempt to avoid it — he simply let the Prince Consort look.
After all, he could hardly silence Zhao Guibei, and there was no way to prevent what passed between a father and his son.
When Zhao Dong raised the subject — repeating what his son had told him — Han Linfeng spoke before he could finish: “Every man bears responsibility for the fate of the realm. The fires of war are almost at Liangzhou’s gates. If I remained as I was in the capital — idle and dissolute, not striving for anything — would I not be leaving my parents, my wife, and my sister to be buried under the iron hooves of a rebel army? As for what Young General Zhao has described — it was nothing more than good fortune on my part, and the assistance of those beneath me, that allowed me a moment of bravado. I ask the General to let the matter rest here. If it is exaggerated further and I am set up on too high a platform, how would I ever manage to climb back down?”
Zhao Dong narrowed his great brass-bell eyes, his tone carrying an implicit meaning: “That engagement at Ghost-Child Grove was genuinely well executed. If it were merely good fortune, then Shizi’s luck is rather extraordinary indeed.”
Han Linfeng did not take the bait, and simply reflected with feeling: “Indeed. Heaven has spared me thus far — I have yet to leave an heir, so it seems the heavens still deal gently with me.”
Zhao Dong, finding nothing more to be gained from pressing further, let the matter go.
He was not by nature a suspicious or fussy person. As the saying went, a reformed wastrel was beyond price. If the Beizhen Shizi had truly turned himself around, it would be a comfort to the spirit of the late Emperor Shengde watching from above.
When Zhao Dong asked whether Han Linfeng had any wish to come and serve under his command, Han Linfeng declined with courteous words: “I am accustomed to the work of a provisions officer. If I can safeguard the Supreme General’s operations and do my utmost to deliver grain and supplies without fail, that too is a form of service.”
Zhao Dong knew he had yet to produce an heir, and did not press the matter further. He simply reached out and clapped Han Linfeng on the shoulder: “A man in this world must leave some mark behind. Since you have turned over a new leaf, you ought to build merit and accomplish something worthy. When the day comes to return to court, if the opportunity arises, I will personally present your case to His Majesty and ensure your talents are no longer buried.”
On hearing this, Han Linfeng could not help but smile inwardly. If General Zhao truly one day recommended him before the Emperor — never mind whether his talents would be buried — the Emperor would certainly view him as a thorn in his eye and would be none too pleased to see him removed.
Zhao Dong was without fault in commanding armies and waging war, but at the imperial court he had never been particularly adept at navigating the political currents. It was precisely this slight deficiency in reading the shifting tides and calculating the hearts of men that had always held him back in official circles. Had he not later married Princess Yuyang and obtained a sort of immunity from consequence, who knows how many times he might have been maneuvered into dangerous corners by his enemies at court.
And yet it was precisely this forthright character of Zhao Dong’s that Han Linfeng admired.
After all, those who are themselves calculating find it easiest to get along with those who are straightforward.
That evening, when Han Linfeng relayed the exchange to Su Luoyun, she burst out laughing: “If you think straightforward people are easy to get along with, how did you end up choosing me? Do you think I’m straightforward and easy to push around?”
Han Linfeng caught her hand and laughed: “In choosing friends, one looks for those who are straightforward. But in choosing a wife, naturally one looks for someone quick-witted and full of spirit — otherwise, wouldn’t one end up with a brood of dull—”
He stopped himself mid-sentence. The thought of the sachet beneath the pillow had crossed his mind.
He gave a brief, self-mocking laugh to himself. Even having found a clever wife, everything still depended on whether the husband was capable enough to make her feel at ease bearing his children. Without that, he couldn’t even manage to have a slow-witted one.
Luoyun was grinding ink for Han Linfeng and had been turning over in her mind the earlier dispute she had witnessed between her parents-in-law, and had not caught his unfinished words.
When the ink was ready, she spoke up: “By the way — Princess Yuyang has been feeling cooped up and restless in Liangzhou these past few days. I heard that in two days’ time, Huicheng is holding its Spring Festival rites and it will be quite lively, so she wants to go to Huicheng for a look around. I imagine she was worried the General wouldn’t agree, and so she hoped Mother would take the lead and invite her along. Mother was quite taken with the idea and mentioned it to Father — but Father gave Mother a rather sharp reprimand. His meaning, roughly, was that it was shortsighted of a woman to want to go to Huicheng at a critical juncture like this. Mother was not willing to give up, so she used the excuse that a renowned new physician had come to Huicheng who specializes in eye ailments — and then insisted I go, saying she and the Princess would have a reason to accompany me for the medical visit. I wanted to decline, but I was afraid of offending Mother. So I thought I would mention it to you — could you perhaps decline on my behalf?”
Han Linfeng nearly laughed out loud at this. It was truly a case of the King of Hell directing the great demon, and the great demon dispatching the lesser one — this troublesome errand had been passed all the way down to him.
Princess Yuyang was someone who hosted banquets every few days in the capital. Coming suddenly to a place as provincial as Liangzhou must have made her feel thoroughly wretched.
Han Linfeng thought it over and said: “Since they all want to go, there is no need to disappoint them. As it happens, I also need to make another trip to Huicheng — I can escort all of you there together.”
Luoyun blinked, curious: “Huicheng? What are you going there for?”
Han Linfeng said evenly: “I cannot serve in General Zhao’s frontline camp, but I can offer what small assistance I am able. At the very least, I mean to drain the reserves from Qiu Zhen’s treasury. I have gone over the ledger Elder Brother Cao gave me, and exchanged letters with him as well. The largest backer listed in the ledger is the owner of Maoxiang Bank — a man named You Shanyue.”
You Shanyue? Even Su Luoyun, who moved in no circles of the martial world, had heard this name before.
It was said that Master You had risen through the underworld, and in his younger years had been a figure who swept through the outlaw fraternity. He was a man of powerful gambling instincts — legend had it he had once lost a fortune of ten thousand strings of coins in a single night, then staked three taels of silver and won it all back.
In later years, he took a wife, raised children, and retired from that life, opening money-lending establishments in various cities. Beyond his banks, he had extensive commercial interests across the land, making him a man of legendary wealth — enough to rival the treasury of a nation. He had long kept himself in seclusion, however, and popular rumor even had it that he was already dead.
It had not been expected that he was, in fact, one of the wealthy magnates secretly supporting Cao Sheng.
Han Linfeng slowly recounted what he had learned from Cao Sheng.
Though the magnates supporting Cao Sheng were numerous, the one who carried the greatest weight and authority among them was this You Shanyue.
As the saying went, a tall tree invites the wind. You Shanyue had accumulated no small number of enemies during his years in the martial world, and now that he was wealthy beyond measure, he lived quietly, half withdrawn from public life. Even the managers of his various banking houses could not say where their proprietor resided — and there were even rumors circulating that the man had died.
Yet Han Linfeng, guided by Cao Sheng’s insider knowledge, knew that every year around the Spring Equinox, You Shanyue came to Huicheng to go over accounts and pass the time fishing. In previous years, Cao Sheng had always arranged to meet with You Shanyue during this period.
This time, Han Linfeng had decided to call on the man in Elder Brother Cao’s place, and to persuade Qiu Zhen’s largest financial backer along the way.
Huicheng was not especially close to Liangzhou — the journey took two days. Its prosperity was of an entirely different order from Liangzhou’s.
But Han Linfeng’s destination was not among the bustling city streets.
Since Han Linfeng was also coming, Luoyun had a ready excuse to travel separately from Princess Yuyang and the others.
Once they reached Huicheng, the Princess and the Princess Consort took to it like fish returned to water — accepting invitations from the local officials’ wives, browsing private gardens, and shopping to their hearts’ content.
Luoyun had no intention of inserting herself into that and dampening her mother-in-law’s enjoyment. Instead she accompanied Han Linfeng to pay a call on the Deity of Wealth.
Han Linfeng first brought Luoyun to the Maoxiang Bank in the city. He used the bank notes tucked into the ledger by Cao Sheng to exchange for currency, and took the opportunity to mention to the manager that he was an old acquaintance of Master You’s and hoped to meet with him.
The manager glanced down at the note with its considerable sum, recognized immediately that this was a major patron of the bank, and took the note inside for a moment.
When he returned, however, the manager wore an apologetic expression: “I am truly sorry — our proprietor rarely comes to the shop, and we have no way of reaching him. Regarding this bank note — would you like to exchange it in full?”
Han Linfeng said nothing more. He simply took the note back, indicating he would not exchange it for the time being, tucked it away, and led Luoyun out through the bank’s front entrance.
He looked down at her and asked: “What did you make of that manager just now?”
Luoyun thought for a moment: “Maoxiang Bank is quite generously appointed — the incense burning in the shop is particularly refined. From my assessment, it would be the thirty-tael-per-bundle yaozhu incense.”
Han Linfeng gave her cheek a gentle flick with his finger: “Who asked you about that? Truly a fragrance merchant through and through — wherever you go, incense is always the first thing you notice.”
Luoyun came back to the matter at hand: “The manager went inside first, and only came back out afterward to say the proprietor was not in. There is certainly something going on. But if Master You is unwilling to receive you, you can hardly force your way in.”
Han Linfeng nodded. He led Luoyun to select some pastries and cakes to bring back for his sister, and picked out a fine inkstone as a gift for his brother. Then he had Luoyun helped back into the carriage, and they rode out to a quiet lake on the outskirts of Huicheng.
Han Linfeng stood at the side of a lakeside pavilion, looking out at the shimmering surface of the water: “This place is called Mirror Lake. It produces a variety of fish called the scale fish — few bones, and the flesh becomes tender and soft with only brief cooking. The fish are not easy to catch, however. If you use a net, they swim so swiftly they dive straight into the mud at the bottom of the lake. The only way is to use a fishing line — with a hook that must be fine and small, and the timing of the pull must be precise.”
Su Luoyun could not make out the view clearly, but the shimmer of the water before her carried a warmth of approaching spring, and even unable to see it properly, she felt at ease.
She tilted her head slightly at Han Linfeng’s words: “So difficult to catch — one might as well not bother eating them.”
Han Linfeng smiled: “I heard from Elder Brother Cao that Master You Shanyue’s beloved son was born with an allergy to fish — ordinarily he cannot eat fish at all. But he can eat this particular variety of scale fish. Whenever he has leisure, You Shanyue comes here personally to fish for his son.”
As he spoke, he had already cast a careful look around at the figures fishing along the lake’s edge.
According to Cao Sheng’s description, You Shanyue was missing half of the small finger on his right hand, and was accompanied by a considerable retinue of bodyguards and servants. Yet among those fishing at the lake’s edge, most appeared to be ordinary farmers — there was no wealthy gentleman of distinction among them.
Qingyang had also led a sweep of the area with his men, and found no one matching You Shanyue’s description. It seemed that today would be a wasted trip.
Han Linfeng had not actually expected to find You Shanyue on the first attempt. He had simply brought Luoyun here for a breath of fresh air.
Since returning to Liangzhou, he had been caught up in official duties and had not once managed to take Luoyun out for a proper day of leisure in the mountains and by the water.
Ahead of them lay another difficult engagement on the front — and so Han Linfeng wanted to make use of this rare, peaceful interlude to spend time properly with Luoyun.
At that moment, a warm and gentle breeze drifted past. He looked down at his beloved wife in her fresh spring garments. Her complexion was naturally pale, her hair loosely and gracefully coiled, the snow-white curve of her neck and collarbones visible above the light fabric of her spring robe, framed by a gossamer shoulder wrap. Such a woman — standing at the edge of the spring waters — was a picture of effortless, poised grace.
In the past, because of her blindness, Luoyun’s eyes had been beautiful in form yet somehow lacking that final spark of life.
But now, with her vision gradually returning — though still unclear — her gaze had begun to move once more, and there was a new, enchanting quality to the way her eyes shifted and turned, full of unspoken feeling.
A woman like this — he could look and never have enough. Han Linfeng had lately found himself unable to stop imagining: if she were one day to give him a daughter — a little round face, those wide eyes that looked just like Ah Yun’s — how utterly adorable that would be.
In the past, Han Linfeng had never given thought to the matter of children. But ever since learning that Luoyun did not wish to bear him a child, he found himself unable to stop imagining what a child of theirs might look like.
Once the war is over, he would speak with her openly and honestly, and they would talk this through properly.
By now, a fine misty rain had begun to fall. Worried she might catch a chill, Han Linfeng was about to lead her back to the carriage.
Just then, Su Luoyun could not help but lift her nose and draw in a breath: “Who is using ambergris incense? In a secluded backwater like this — someone with such refined taste?”
A single small piece of ambergris was worth a hundred gold pieces, and it was an exclusive imperial offering — no ordinary person could obtain it. Princess Yuyang had once possessed a piece of it, and had been so distressed over its improper storage that she had specifically sought Luoyun out to ask if anything could be done.
From this alone, it was plain that even in the eyes of a princess of the imperial blood, this particular incense was a thing of extraordinary value.
And yet here, at this rural lakeside, carried on the passing breeze, Luoyun had caught the faint, unmistakable scent of ambergris drifting through the fragrance of earth and rain. It was naturally a thing worth remarking upon.
Han Linfeng, hearing Luoyun’s words, narrowed his eyes and followed the direction from which the wind came. His gaze fixed on a lean, dry-looking elderly man sitting alone in the shade of a tree.
The man must have just arrived — Han Linfeng had not noticed anyone there before.
This solitary fisherman, seeing the rain begin to fall, showed no urgency to seek shelter. He simply reached over and unhooked from a tree branch a rain cloak that had been hanging there, settled his bamboo hat on his head, and went on fishing in perfect, unhurried ease.
Han Linfeng narrowed his eyes and looked at the old man — and in a single glance caught sight of the man’s right hand. The small finger was missing half its length.
He accepted the oilpaper umbrella a maidservant handed him, opened it over Luoyun, and guided her by the hand toward the lean elderly man.
Before they had gotten very far, however — from who knew where — five or six powerfully built men appeared and planted themselves in front of the old man.
By now, Han Linfeng had a reasonably clear sense of the situation. He simply extended a cupped-fist salute and said: “Might the elder be surnamed You?”
The old man lifted his head halfway and looked the couple before him up and down. True refinement, he had always thought, could only be cultivated from birth. The young man before him was not merely handsome — the nobility in his very bearing was almost impossible to conceal. He was clearly of uncommon origin, and bore no resemblance to the sort of person who came looking for trouble from the martial world.
And so the old man said mildly: “What business do you have with someone surnamed You?”
He had not confirmed anything — but he had not denied it either.
Now that Han Linfeng could observe the old man at close range, he found that his appearance matched Cao Sheng’s description well enough. He spoke directly: “I am a close friend of Elder Cao’s, and have come at his request to seek out Old Elder You.”
The old man gave a soft, amused sound: “There are far too many Elder Caos under heaven. However, at this time of year, only one Elder Cao would come looking for You at a place like this. Though I had heard he was no longer of this world — are you here on the errand of a wandering spirit?”
Han Linfeng reached into his breast pocket and produced a letter, asking the attendant beside him to pass it to the old man. The letter was in Cao Sheng’s own hand. It laid out his circumstances plainly, described Qiu Zhen’s fraudulent behavior and his usurpation of Cao Sheng’s name, and the betrayal of a disobedient daughter — and asked the elder and the other generous magnates not to be deceived by Qiu Zhen any longer, and to cease supporting him.
This Master You made no move to take the letter. He merely glanced over its contents a few times with the attendant’s hands holding it open, then shifted his gaze away with an air of indifference and said calmly: “It seems the Elder Cao you know and the Elder Cao I know are not the same person. And I do not know any You Shanyue whatsoever. Young master, you may take your leave.”
A moment ago, there had been no indication he intended to deny anything — yet for reasons unclear, after glancing at the letter, he had suddenly changed his position.
Su Luoyun spoke up: “Just now, my husband only said he was seeking out an old elder surnamed You — he did not mention any name. If you are not the man in question, how is it that you can speak the name ‘You Shanyue’?”