That night, the Hall of Golden Luan blazed with light.

The hall was filled with imperial kinsmen and high ministers. Yun Xi was no more than an unranked constable; she had left her sword at the palace gate and stood at the very back of the crowd.

Emperor Zhaoyuan sat with his eyes half-lowered, his voice giving away nothing. “Speak.”

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Presently, a fifth-rank official stepped forward and said cautiously, “Your Majesty, the disturbance in Jinling tonight was truly a failure of the city patrols. This past month, bandits and drifters from the outskirts have banded together, gathering nearly a thousand strong, stirring up trouble again and again. With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, the gates could not be closed, and they disguised themselves as commoners to slip into the city — truly impossible to guard against completely.”

“In recent days we have carefully screened those entering and leaving Jinling, and caught over a hundred suspicious persons, driving them thirty li outside the city walls. Yet unexpectedly… several dozen bandits still slipped through. Fortunately the suppression came in time, and not too many civilians were harmed. It is already — it is already—”

“You mean to say it is already a stroke of luck amid misfortune?” Emperor Zhaoyuan gave a cold laugh.

“Yes, Your Majesty, that is precisely my meaning,” the fifth-rank official answered.

You could have heard a pin drop in the hall.

Yao Hangshan raised a hand and wiped the sweat from his brow.

The official speaking was one of his own men, the head of the Capital Office. He had always taken him for an honest, dutiful sort — he never imagined the man could be so foolish.

At a time like this, still fumbling for excuses?

Was he worried His Majesty’s fury tonight hadn’t burned hot enough, and needed to add more kindling?

Yao Hangshan choked back a mouthful of blood in his throat, wishing he could rush forward and clap a hand over the man’s mouth.

Emperor Zhaoyuan said coolly, “So you mean to say too few bandits came tonight? Are you claiming merit, then?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, no — that’s not—” the official stammered. “This official only meant—”

“I recall your surname is Li. You are currently the head of the Privy Council’s Capital Office?” Emperor Zhaoyuan said.

Without waiting for an answer, he immediately gave the order: “Strip him of his official robes, thirty strokes of the rod, and throw him out of the palace.”

“Yes!” The guards in the hall obeyed at once and dragged the man out.

The night was heavy, and the sound of the rod falling outside the hall was clearly audible, striking close to the heart of everyone within.

A moment later a guard returned and reported, “Your Majesty, the punishment has been carried out. Official Li said… he thanks Your Majesty for his boundless mercy.”

Emperor Zhaoyuan gave another cold laugh.

“Where are the men of the Privy Council?”

Having just witnessed the consequence, Yao Hangshan, Luo Fuyou, and several other Privy Council officials stepped forward without protest and knelt, saying, “Your Majesty, tonight’s laxity in Jinling’s patrols is truly our failing. We beg Your Majesty’s punishment.”

Emperor Zhaoyuan did not bother with them, waving a hand as if shooing flies. “Move aside and kneel there. You’re in my way.”

Yao Hangshan and the others obeyed, shuffling on their knees to the side of the hall.

Emperor Zhaoyuan sat in silence for a while, then let out a slow breath. He thought that since matters had already come to this, the punishments and blame could wait for now — the pressing matter was to settle the unrest at hand.

He summoned Xuan Zhi and questioned him carefully about the night’s disturbance.

Xuan Zhi answered point by point — how many bandits there were, what their skills were like, and where each group had caused trouble.

At the end he said, “As for why these bandits caused trouble tonight, whether it was purely for plunder, we do not yet know. Fortunately the commander of the Capital Office — the heir of the Prince of Nan’an — mobilized troops in time and captured the majority of the bandits. Constable Yun of the Capital Prefecture even seized their leader. Once he is thoroughly interrogated, the whole matter should come to light.”

Emperor Zhaoyuan gave a small “Mm,” then turned his gaze to Prince Yun. “Then let—”

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly recalled that not long ago, the fourth prince had failed to properly interrogate even a bandit chief. His expression soured, and he changed his mind. “Never mind. Guide, take the men of the Palace Front Guard and interrogate him.”

“This subject obeys,” Xuan Zhi answered.

Emperor Zhaoyuan swept his gaze over the hall and asked, “As for that band outside the city who don’t fear death — which of you will settle the matter?”

The imperial kinsmen and court officials glanced at one another, no one speaking.

After a moment, Pei Lan stepped forward. “Your Majesty, this subject is willing to lead troops to the outskirts to suppress the unrest.”

“Giving them too much face!” Emperor Zhaoyuan’s expression darkened, his voice cold. “A mere thousand-odd bandits — worth deploying a third-rank general of Mine?”

Last time he had sent a fourth-rank general — and what had the captured bandit chief said?

“There are seven of us chieftains up on the mountain, and I’m just the smallest fry. You think taking me down means you’ve wiped us all out? Not even close.”

Truly provoking the court, showing no respect for authority or law!

Cheng Ye volunteered, “Your Majesty, this subject is the seventh-rank commander of the Capital Office. I am willing to lead troops to suppress the unrest.”

“You are the heir of a commandery prince. This is not your place,” Emperor Zhaoyuan said.

The ministers and imperial kinsmen in the hall exchanged looks.

This… too high a rank wouldn’t do, too high a title wouldn’t do either. After a full month of this, everyone could see that the unrest in the outskirts was a hot potato no one wanted to touch. Looking across the whole court, who else had the ability to handle it?

The hall fell quiet for a time.

At length, Emperor Zhaoyuan suddenly asked, “Is the Yun daughter of the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor present?”

Yun Xi startled, then stepped into the center of the hall and knelt. “Reporting to Your Majesty, this subject is here.”

Emperor Zhaoyuan studied Yun Xi for a while, then, after a pause, said something seemingly unrelated. “I recall, a few years ago, you came to the capital with Yun Shuguang and entered the palace. I saw you then.”

The Yun family, Marquises of Loyalty and Valor, had long guarded the northern frontier, their achievements great and their ambitions lofty. The year they returned to Jinling, Emperor Zhaoyuan had personally hosted a banquet for the Yun family within the palace.

“Yes,” Yun Xi said. “This subject had the honor of beholding Your Majesty’s countenance that very year.”

Emperor Zhaoyuan laughed once. “I still remember — at that banquet you performed a spear routine and actually defeated two of my guards. Yun Shuguang said you had studied martial arts under him since childhood, and that during those years on the frontier you even went into battle alongside your brother, Yun Luo.”

“Your Majesty’s memory is truly remarkable.”

Emperor Zhaoyuan was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “I hear it was you who captured that bandit leader tonight. How was his skill — was he formidable?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, the skill of these bandits varied greatly. When this subject captured their leader, he was only fleeing in a panic, so it was hard to judge his true ability.”

Emperor Zhaoyuan asked, “In your judgment, is the skill of these bandits above yours?”

Yun Xi thought for a moment, then answered honestly, “Below this subject’s.”

“Good.” Emperor Zhaoyuan nodded. “Then this matter of the outskirts’ unrest — you shall lead the troops to settle it.”

At these words, everyone in the hall was struck with astonishment.

Yun Xi raised her head, staring at Emperor Zhaoyuan in disbelief.

But she said nothing further, only cupped her hands. “Yes, this subject obeys.”

The Minister of War stepped into the center of the hall, somewhat troubled, and reminded him, “Your Majesty, the Yun daughter of the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor is currently only an unranked constable under the Capital Prefecture. Strictly speaking, she is not qualified to lead troops. If she is to lead troops to the outskirts now, firstly, the soldiers beneath her may not obey orders since she holds no rank; secondly, different ranks permit leading different numbers of troops. Of course, if Your Majesty has another decree, that changes matters. So how she is to lead troops, how many she may lead, and from where they should be drawn — we await Your Majesty’s clarification.”

The rules of the military were strict, and though the Minister of War’s reminder was perhaps overly cautious, it was indeed necessary.

Emperor Zhaoyuan considered for a while, then said, “If she has no rank, then grant her one. Follow proper procedure as well. Tonight she earned merit — first bestow upon her the seventh rank of Yihui Commandant.”

“As for the number of troops she is to lead — Guide, have someone draw two thousand from under your command for her.”

“Yes.”

Emperor Zhaoyuan sat quietly for a while longer, then suddenly said, “I recall Yun Shuguang and Xuanwei still have some old subordinates scattered on the frontier?”

The Minister of War said, “Reporting to Your Majesty, indeed so, though not many remain. After all—” he paused, “the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor and General Xuanwei fought several brutal battles, with heavy casualties. Those scattered on the frontier number no more than a few hundred.”

These few hundred men — because Yun Luo’s case had remained unresolved for four years, the court had not dared to make use of them, and after a lifetime of campaigning, they had ultimately become abandoned soldiers, remnants of a broken command.

Emperor Zhaoyuan said, “Now that the Yun daughter has been made a commandant, it won’t do for her to have no men under her. Call them back, and place them under Commandant Yun’s command for now.”

Everyone in the hall was stunned.

Once, the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor had died in battle, the crown prince had perished, and Yun Luo had been condemned for Zhaoyuan’s betrayal — the entire court had believed the Marquis’s household was despised by the throne, destined to fall into ruin.

But not long ago, Emperor Zhaoyuan had abruptly, almost casually, cleared Yun Luo’s name, and the court had assumed he had finally resolved whatever knot was in his heart, intending to show the household special favor.

If he meant to show favor, why not elevate Yun Luo and let him inherit the title of Marquis?

After being left aside for so long, why suddenly promote the household’s lone orphaned daughter to commandant? What did this mean?

A woman’s path in officialdom was already difficult enough, and she could not inherit the title regardless. In the end, she would still have to marry.

Could it be that His Majesty’s intent was to elevate the household with one hand while suppressing it with the other? What purpose could that serve, for a woman?

Truly, the sovereign’s heart was impossible to fathom. Impossible to fathom indeed.

By the time these matters were settled, the night had already passed.

Faint morning light touched the sky. Emperor Zhaoyuan, thoroughly exhausted, summoned Prince Cong and a few of his most trusted ministers to continue deliberations in the study, leaving the Privy Council officials kneeling in the Hall of Golden Luan as the rest of the assembly dispersed.

Though Yun Xi had just been promoted to commandant, matters had unfolded so hastily that she still needed to return home and await the formal decree. So she did not linger, and a young eunuch led her out of the palace.

Cheng Chang had left the palace grounds ahead of her.

The night had been full of chaos, and he had never once had the chance to speak with her.

The night before, when the scarred man had appeared, she had risked her life fighting to protect him from both bandits and soldiers alike.

Cheng Chang, watching from the bamboo platform, had thought to himself — how could this girl be so earnest, so unguarded?

This was already the second time. The first had been at the water pavilion of Pei Mansion — she had done the same.

In truth, from beginning to end, the real killer had only ever wanted him dead.

Why would she risk her life so recklessly, searching for clues, vouching for others, all for his sake — was she not afraid of being implicated herself?

Or was this simply what was called, thousands of years passed down and grown thin in these later ages, a sense of debt and duty — the kind that made one draw a blade for a stranger wronged on the road?

But then, what debt of gratitude could possibly exist between the two of them?

He had fallen into this strange era for no reason he understood. In truth, aside from himself, nothing and no one had ever truly mattered to him, deep down.

And yet, inexplicably, he had come to meet a girl like her.

Whatever the case, he ought to at least thank her.

Cheng Chang waited outside the palace gate. When he finally caught sight of Yun Xi and was about to step toward her, he saw, on the other side of the gate, someone hurrying over, smiling brightly at her.

It was the young prince, Cheng Ye.

He seemed to be congratulating her on her promotion, pointing toward the direction of the Ministry of War’s offices, and calling over a guard to help explain something to her.

Yun Xi listened, nodding now and then, occasionally responding with a word or two.

Cheng Chang’s outstretched step drew back.

Right — he had forgotten. She had earned merit last night and been given a modest official rank. Of course she deserved to be congratulated.

Or had he simply been so detached from everything for so long that he’d forgotten to care about matters like this?

Cheng Chang stood frozen where he was, watching in silence as Yun Xi spoke with Cheng Ye. A feeling he had buried in his heart for months slowly rose to the surface — out of place.

Yes. Out of place.

Out of place among the people around him, out of place among the events around him.

Out of place in this entire era.

He didn’t know why, but today, in this moment, the feeling was especially sharp.

Sharp enough to leave him feeling a kind of desolation.

Sun Haiping and Zhang Dahu, waiting nearby, seeing Cheng Chang standing motionless for so long, came up and asked, “Young Prince, shall we head back to the residence, or find somewhere to unwind for a while?”

Cheng Chang stood coldly in place for a moment longer, then answered, “Back to the residence.”

Just as he turned to leave, he suddenly saw a young soldier riding up in haste.

Reaching the moat, the soldier abandoned his horse and ran the rest of the way on foot, stumbling several times in his urgency.

Cheng Chang watched the soldier for a moment and recognized him.

He was the one Cheng Ye had sent the night before to search for Yao Susu.

An ominous feeling rose in Cheng Chang’s chest.

Sure enough, the soldier rushed up to Cheng Ye and dropped to his knees, his voice frantic with panic. “Reporting to the young prince — this subject and the others searched Jinling all night for the second young miss of the Yao household. Only this morning… only this morning, by the banks of the Qinhuai, did we find… her body.”