Upon hearing his son’s question, Yang Yi did not rush to answer. He now had leisure to look the son he had not met in a long time up and down.

The last time he had seen this boy, the child had been only ten years old. Upon learning that this man was his father, he had bared his teeth and swung his fists like a little wolf that had spotted prey.

His children were not many. The son that Tao Huiru had given him was soft as a coward, with none of the tiger-fierce spirit of a military family.

And the one son and one daughter that the current Princess of Jing had borne him were pampered and indulged, knowing only the showy tricks of riding horses and hunting with eagles.

Yet this son, whom he had shortchanged and failed since infancy, was born with the proud, unyielding bones of the Yang family — and, of course, the Yang family’s uniquely stubborn temperament as well.

Still, fierce as the wolf cub might be, seize him by the weak point and that would be enough.

When Situ Sheng asked again about his mother, Lady Wen, Yang Yi only said: “She is well now. I found a renowned physician to treat her. Although she no longer remembers much of the past, she has not had an episode for a long time. She has forgotten somewhat of what happened after the marriage — and she does not remember having a son. You… it is best that you do not appear before her.”

Hearing this, Situ Sheng let out a cold laugh, yet he knew that what Yang Yi said was perhaps true.

For even back in Jiangkou, during her better days, his mother would believe that she was still an unmarried girl of the Wen family, that she had never married Yang Yi or borne his child, and needed only to look forward each day to a glimpse of the Yang fellow who had been living incognito in the army then — the man she called her Yang.

Perhaps the time in Lingnan had been the most brilliant memory of her entire life, and so she preferred to seal herself within those recollections and would never wish to emerge from them, even unto death.

That had been the most agonizing experience of her life. As for her son, he represented a stretch of painful memory after the marriage. Only when he and that memory ceased to exist could she forget her own suffering.

Situ Sheng drew a deep, silent breath. This was the method that Linlang had taught him.

She had said: no matter what difficult and sorrowful ravine one encounters, do not be too hard on oneself. When you feel the grief, breathe deeply, and draw yourself out of the moment — you are not someone without anyone to care for you.

If he lost control of his emotions, Linlang would ache for him…

Yet Yang Yi had not come to exchange pleasantries with his son or chat about family matters. In a cold voice, he asked: “Did I not instruct you long ago to look after the Crown Prince? Why have you been sabotaging him at every turn?”

The secret messenger he had dispatched to communicate with his son had in the end been given a thorough beating by that son, and his instructions had evidently been tossed to the winds by this unfilial wretch.

By now Situ Sheng had quietly composed himself enough to answer without emotion: “At the time, my grandfather advocated strenuously for war, yet Prince Tai, in order to preserve his so-called military strength, pushed with equal force for peace talks. The Crown Prince had just been installed as heir, and because his maternal grandfather also championed the peace faction, his views were at odds with my grandfather’s. For this, obstacle after obstacle was laid before the frontier. Soldiers at the front killed enemies while ministers at the rear schemed and jockeyed for their own petty gain. Had it not been for them, how would my grandfather have met his end on the battlefield? Yet you allied yourself with the Crown Prince and lent your hand to Jing’s tyranny. Have you forgotten my grandfather’s wretched death?”

Before he had finished speaking, Yang Yi had already delivered a fierce slap across his face: “The one who has forgotten the grudge is you, you unfilial wretch! Who was it that played favorites and estranged my father? Who was it that gave the order to slaughter the entire Yang household? It was the cur emperor you now serve so dutifully! Blood feud and sea of hatred — I have not dared forget even for a single moment! Not one of those who wronged our Yang family father and son shall I let off. And you — you have been whole-heartedly doing work for that cur emperor, thwarting me at every turn. What is the meaning of this?”

Situ Sheng’s face had been knocked askew by the blow. He slowly turned his head and fixed his father with a glacially cold stare, enunciating each word: “My grandfather named me ‘Jiexing’ precisely to make me remember always that I must not follow your example — must not be a person of unbridled willfulness and self-serving selfishness. It was you who, ignoring grandfather’s counsel, took a private wife and married my mother, yet could not be steadfast and faithful to her to the end. It was you who traded the Yang family’s clean reputation for a chance to live on in disgrace. It was you who violated the Yang family’s ancestral precepts and brought about the extermination of the entire Yang household. A scoundrel who could even betray his wedded wife — what right does he have to put on the airs of a father before me?”

Yang Yi was trembling with rage and reached out to strike again.

But this time, his wrist was caught in Situ Sheng’s grip. The ferocious strength of that hold made Yang Yi unable to suppress a muffled grunt.

This boy — he was truly no longer the scrawny little sprout of their last meeting!

He resembled Lady Wen greatly in appearance, yet the stubborn streak in his bones, and the aura he projected when he stared a person down, were identical to his late grandfather, as if cast from the same mold.

Yang Yi had not come to lecture his son.

So, seeing that he was no match for his son in argument, he shook his hand free violently, breaking the grip, and said: “Jing has now changed its order. Khan Angu has ascended the throne. The Jing traitor who ordered your grandfather’s head cut off has been slain by my own hand. I am not like you, settled comfortably in the pleasure capital of Great Jin, with nothing on your mind but climbing ranks and amassing wealth.”

Situ Sheng remained unmoved, and let out a cold laugh: “What — because you killed one khan, you think your conscience is at peace? Or do you think that without you, I could not lay Jing’s tribes flat and wash away this shame?”

Yang Yi, however, felt that this son of his was speaking in nothing but grand empty boasts. With all his scheming and maneuvering among the various imperial princes, the boy was still no more than a petty Vice Minister of Finance.

A minor civil official — what power did he have to sway the fate of the realm? He had spent much effort arranging for people to change the boy’s name and identity and raise him, and had never placed great hope in him to begin with.

But the boy did have a certain aptitude for books, and had actually climbed step by step to his present position. Yet if he could not be made useful, he was no better than a discarded chess piece.

A discarded piece would have been one thing, but this one persisted in opposing him at every turn, a body full of contrary bones!

The unfilial son refused to fall in line and kept disrupting his plans. Yang Yi had no choice but to come out and rap his knuckles, to make him see the situation clearly.

Seeing that persuasion was futile, Yang Yi said bluntly and coldly: “The Crown Prince’s position is now unassailable. He has already toppled the Fourth Prince. Do not stir up more trouble. I no longer count on you to be of any use — as long as you do not cause me disruptions, I will thank heaven and earth for it. As for you — I hear you have recently been immersing yourself in a woman’s tenderness, making no progress in your career. That woman called Chu Linlang — I hear she is even a woman who has been married before, coarse and shrill in character. You are acting even more recklessly than I was in my day… what? Have you gone mad as well, wanting to take a woman like that as your wife?”

Situ Sheng narrowed his eyes. Yang Yi had evidently planted informants among his people, and actually knew of his private dealings with Linlang!

He had no wish to have any more vulnerabilities seized in Yang Yi’s hands, and even less wish for Linlang to fall into his grasp as his mother had done.

So he simply distanced himself from the matter entirely, saying coldly: “Aside from this women’s gossip, do you have anything serious to ask? I am not like you — I cannot live without women, nor would I rashly take women as passing dalliances…”

His words had barely fallen when from around the corner of a nearby alley mouth not far off came the sudden sound of a thud.

Situ Sheng and Yang Yi exchanged a glance and together rushed toward the source of the sound. But by the time they arrived, whoever had been eavesdropping had already disappeared into one of the intersecting alleyways.

Situ Sheng had been about to give chase, but when he caught sight of an official document pouch lying on the ground that looked rather familiar, he stopped short, bent down, picked up the pouch, and tucked it into his sleeve.

At this moment, Yang Yi, who had gone to check the side alley, came back and asked in a low voice: “Did you see who it was on your side? Why did you not give chase?”

Situ Sheng replied evenly: “Just a passing drunkard, already long gone. No need to make unnecessary complications. Go your way — the city patrol will be here shortly.”

Yang Yi did not fully believe Situ Sheng’s words. But if someone had learned the secret of his birth, the most troublesome consequence would fall on Situ Sheng, so the boy should have the sense to keep it quiet.

This visit by Yang Yi was in the company of Jing’s delegation of envoys, and he still had to return to the guesthouse soon. He could not linger here too long.

He looked once more at this son who had grown to match his own tall frame, then turned and left without another word.

But he was, in truth, somewhat curious about this Chu woman that his subordinates had described. What sort of woman was she exactly?

It seemed necessary to investigate the nature of Situ Sheng’s relationship with that woman…

With that thought, he let out a cold laugh and vanished into the night mist.

After Yang Yi had gone, Guanqi looked at his master with concern.

The words Yang Yi had said just now were murder on the soul. He feared his master might once again sink into a dark and raging despair.

Yet this time, his master’s reaction was somewhat strange. Although Yang Yi had indeed stoked his ten-thousand-zhang fury, what prevailed even more was an inexplicable, nameless vexation.

When he saw what Situ Sheng drew from his sleeve — the official document pouch — Guanqi cried out inwardly: disaster!

For this document pouch looked like the very one he had carelessly left behind in Lady Chu’s courtyard!

Could it be that… Lady Chu, fearing the master might be inconvenienced without his official documents, had sent someone specially to deliver them, and while passing by this spot had unfortunately overheard the master’s conversation with his father?

What had his master said just now?

Oh — it seemed there was a line along the lines of ‘would never rashly take a woman as a passing dalliance’…

Thinking of this, Guanqi cast a deeply sympathetic look at his master and could only pray that the lady was not the sort to seize on the sharpest part of what she heard, and would not take everything fresh and new so literally!

With that in mind, he asked quietly: “Master, would it not be better to go back right now and explain?”

Situ Sheng shook his head. Yang Yi just now had apparently been following Linlang from her doorstep and lying in wait here to intercept him.

If his guess was correct, Yang Yi must have come with Jing’s envoy delegation. Whenever these delegations arrived, plainclothes agents were certain to be mixed among them.

There was likely still a hidden sentry keeping watch at Linlang’s door at this very moment.

If he returned now, it would reveal how much Linlang mattered to him.

A vulnerability this fatal could absolutely not be allowed to reach Yang Yi’s notice. That being so, for the days ahead, he must not go looking for her.

With that thought, he silently clenched his fist, drew another deep breath, and turned to walk toward his own residence…

By the following day, the civil and military officials at court finally learned that Jing’s new khan had dispatched envoys who had already entered the capital the previous night.

This delegation had come for two purposes. One was to explain that the assault on the Oasis Women’s Academy had not been carried out by Jing’s royal tent.

The second was to continue the negotiations on opening border markets for trade.

After all, peace and harmony at the border was the aspiration of both nations. If Benevolent Emperor Jin did not wish for peaceful open markets, then Jing had other means of prying open the border towns.

For in the Battle of the Negative Waters all those years ago, Jing had not been the losing side.

Moreover, now that Khan Angu had ascended and wished to accomplish great things, he urgently needed a continuous supply of Jin’s iron goods and resources.

Yet since the closure of the markets, border trade had been unable to proceed normally. Just in recent times, several key border fortresses had seen frequent friction and clashes with Jing people.

The triggers were all minor, trivial matters — something like a few sheep straying across a boundary — yet each incident could escalate into mutual brawling, and ultimately local troops would be drawn in, until the two sides faced each other weapon in hand.

Those with discernment all knew that this was a sign that border hostilities were stirring again.

The Fourth Prince had been implicated in the Noble Consort Jing’s downfall and been demoted by His Majesty, sent off to a remote and desolate place. If he behaved himself, he might still live out his days as a regional prince.

And the Crown Prince, who had always enjoyed close relations with Jing, was once again put to use, to receive Jing’s envoys.

There was no choice. Great Jin had long been without capable generals. Although the field restructuring that Situ Sheng had recently overseen had filled the national treasury considerably, going to war was still beyond the country’s financial means.

At this time, Benevolent Emperor only wished for a stable court and to be a peaceful, caretaker emperor for a few more years. If relations between the two nations truly deteriorated now, the consequences would be unimaginable.

So even though just a short time ago a scandal had erupted about Jing kidnapping noble ladies of Jin, cooling relations between the two nations, Benevolent Emperor still had to receive these envoys with good wine and fine food.

All at once, the streets of the capital saw a sudden increase in the number of Jing people coming and going.

Even Chu Linlang’s shop had quite a few Jing customers stopping in.

The shop’s business was thriving, yet the shop’s proprietress wore a drooping, dispirited look and seemed rather unhappy.

Xia He arranged goods on the shelves with one hand and cast somewhat worried glances at the elder young lady, who was thumping and mopping the floor.

She had wanted to help her, but the elder young lady wouldn’t let her and insisted on mopping the floor herself.

Looking at her posture, though, it was less like cleaning the floor and more like demolishing it.

But it was hardly surprising that the elder young lady’s temper was off. If it had been her, Xia He thought she would probably have cried.

Just a few days ago, Master Situ had come to the house for dinner, and after they had eaten and everyone had left, the elder young lady discovered that he had left his official document pouch behind.

Afraid that it might delay his official duties, and unwilling to trust the sensitive documents to anyone else, the elder young lady had taken her along and gone herself with a lantern to deliver them.

Halfway there, they happened to pass a stall selling sweet syrup drinks by the roadside. Lady Chu told her to buy some to take along, to give to Master Situ as well to help clear the wine from his head.

While Xia He was buying the syrup drinks, Lady Chu went ahead and waited on the opposite side of the street.

By the time Xia He had bought the drinks and turned around, she found the elder young lady had vanished.

After rushing frantically to search, she had finally found the elder young lady standing in an exceptionally secluded street corner, her lantern extinguished, and when she turned and saw Xia He approaching, she had gestured with her hand to keep quiet.

Xia He drew closer and heard Master Situ speaking with someone. He even mentioned the elder young lady’s name, but Situ Sheng had said something to the effect of ‘would never take a woman as a passing dalliance.’

At the time, Xia He had been so startled she could not hold steady the pouch in her hand, and it fell to the ground with a thud, alarming the people in the alley.

Fortunately, the elder young lady was quick with her hands and eyes, and grabbed her, and the two of them had run all the way back through the alleyways.

Xia He herself had been worked up to the point of anger at that two-faced master. Although she had long suspected that Master Situ had no intention of taking the young lady as a wife.

But for him to speak of their young lady like this to others — that was truly despicable to the extreme!

No wonder the elder young lady’s mood had been off. She had been silent and subdued for two days running.

That Master Situ had previously been very clingy, dropping by their shop every few days to freeload meals.

And now? He hadn’t shown his face for two whole days. Could it be that having been caught saying such faithless words, he was too ashamed to come and face the elder young lady?

Xia He did not want to say things that would make the elder young lady unhappy, and tried every means she could think of to cheer her up.

But no matter what she said, the elder young lady remained somewhat absent-minded and distracted.

The elder young lady had a lot of free time lately. It seemed connected to the rumors that had been circulating loudly of late.

But no matter how low one’s spirits might be, the women’s academy still had to be attended.

It was always Xia He who accompanied the elder young lady to the academy.

On this particular day, no sooner had they entered the academy than Xia He sensed that the young ladies who were normally close with the elder young lady were all keeping their distance.

Chu Linlang thus sat alone in her seat, isolated. And during class, it seemed the instructors were deliberately cold-shouldering Chu Linlang, barely ever calling on her by name.

This abnormality was noticed by Chu Linlang as well.

When class let out, it was Guan Jinhe who felt ill at ease. She deliberately slowed her steps while packing up her book bag, came over to Chu Linlang’s side, and whispered a few words in her ear.

Hearing what Guan Jinhe had to say, Chu Linlang finally understood the reason why.

It turned out that earlier, the rumors about her being presumptuous in her attentions toward Master Vice Minister Situ and toward Master Liao of the Ministry of Works had been no more than gossip that had no place in polite society, and not many people believed it.

But somehow, later on, the rumors grew more and more intense and ferocious, as though someone were deliberately fanning the flames.

Just a couple of days ago, the Empress Dowager in the palace had received a fine chrysanthemum, which happened to be in full bloom. She had invited some ladies from the capital who were skilled in cultivating flowers to bring their newly tended plants into the palace to enjoy together.

There was no way around it — ever since Noble Consort Jing had fallen from grace, the Empress Dowager had been in fine spirits and had frequently hosted this sort of small gathering.

The flowers had been very pleasantly appreciated up to a point, but then someone, whose instigation was unclear, raised the topic of human beauty surpassing the flowers, and the conversation had wended its way to the new Lady Mei’an who had presided over the lanterns at the dharma assembly.

Someone had then ‘carelessly’ brought up the rumors about this Lady Mei’an and Master Situ and Master Liao, and before the Empress Dowager had challenged Lady Hua directly, asking if she had personally witnessed this person tugging and quarreling at the academy gates.

The question was ill-intentioned and vicious in the extreme.

Lady Hua was in a difficult spot. If she said yes, it would be throwing Lady Chu’s reputation into a pot of boiling oil. But if she denied it, she would be lying before the Empress Dowager.

After all, the Nun of Forgetting Dust, who had been there with her at the time, and also Lady Su, who had accompanied the Sixth Prince’s wife and was present at this flower-viewing gathering, were both there right now, smiling with a meaningful, intent expression as they watched her.

At this critical juncture of difficulty, fortunately the Empress Dowager’s female official, Tao Yashu, opened her mouth in time to ask the ladies present if they would like to taste the freshly made chrysanthemum tarts and sweet cream, and so managed to change the subject and rescue Lady Hua from her predicament.

But while the matter had not been confirmed, the gossip had entered the Empress Dowager’s ears all the same. After finishing the baked cakes, the Empress Dowager suddenly said to Lady Hua: “Those who come from common marketplaces are, after all, lacking somewhat in virtue and propriety. Although your women’s academy is said to be founded on Qi Gong’s ideal of broad inclusion and universal education, you must also watch the influence it has. After all, with so many well-born girls from noble houses who have yet to marry, if they were to be led astray, you could not bear the responsibility!”

The Empress Dowager’s words were as definitive as a nail hammered into a coffin. She did not even need to confirm whether the rumor was true — in one stroke she had pinned Lady Chu’s reputation to the board.

For Lady Hua’s earlier difficulty had been seen in full by the Empress Dowager, who had understood in an instant.

Her lifelong greatest loathing was for demons of the type like Noble Consort Jing, who toyed with men in the palm of their hand. She had simply never expected that the Lady Chu who had appeared so thoroughly likeable would have a private moral character this wretched and shameful.

A careless word from those in high positions can often destroy a life below. All the more so this time, when the Empress Dowager’s contempt was displayed so plainly.

There had been many palace servants present at the flower gathering that day, so the words naturally spread. Although Lady Hua had not yet had the chance to expel Chu Linlang outright, many of the academy’s students had already been sternly instructed by their mothers to stop associating with that Lady Chu.

It was only Guan Jinhe who defied her mother in secret and came to tell Chu Linlang the whole story behind the matter.

When Chu Linlang had heard it all, she actually had the presence of mind to tease Miss Guan: “Given all this, why have you still come to speak with me? Are you not afraid I will corrupt you?”

Guan Jinhe replied with great seriousness: “My father always said that those who possess great righteousness need not be bound by small conventions! Lady Chu, you saved so many of our lives back in the Oasis. You are a person of great righteousness. If I were to shun you just because your… your conduct is said to be loose, would I not be an ingrate?”

Guan Jinhe’s cheeks were puffed out as she said all this, wearing an expression of lofty righteousness, and Chu Linlang was so amused she wanted to reach out and pinch this young friend’s chubby little cheeks.

She smiled and said: “I’ll keep this kindness of yours in my heart, Miss Guan. You had better hurry along now. If someone sees you, it will only lead to more talk.”

Although Guan Jinhe had informed Chu Linlang of the situation, she had no power to reverse Linlang’s reputation. After all, it was the Empress Dowager who had spoken — who could defy her?

After this, when Lady Hua came seeking Chu Linlang, Linlang had already guessed what was coming.

Without waiting for Lady Hua to speak, Chu Linlang handed over a letter of withdrawal from school.

Lady Hua had not expected Linlang to withdraw voluntarily. Momentarily taken aback, she felt a twinge of guilt. Back in the palace she had been caught off guard by a sudden attack, and in her confusion had failed to react in time, with the result that Lady Chu had been censured by the Empress Dowager and her reputation ruined.

When all was said and done, it was she, the female instructor, who had been incompetent — unable to protect her own student, much less guide her gently and teach her to change her ways.

Yet Chu Linlang said nothing whatsoever about the storm in the palace, only saying that the business on her hands was growing increasingly hectic, and she might still need to travel to the northwest and other places, so she wished to take a leave from her studies. The knowledge she had acquired and the instructors she had studied under at the women’s academy were things she held in her heart with gratitude, and what she had learned here would benefit her all her life.

These words were dignified and generous, and gave Lady Hua ample opportunity to maintain her face.

Lady Hua sighed and hinted subtly to Chu Linlang that women ought to be mindful of their reputations — that although standing upright, one need not fear one’s shadow, the four words ‘public opinion is formidable’ had not changed across any dynasty and could always crush a woman to death.

Chu Linlang smiled faintly and offered no defense. With that, Chu Linlang was no longer required to come to the women’s academy.

When she walked out through the academy’s main gate, Chu Linlang turned to look at the plaque above the academy entrance inscribed in the late emperor’s own brushwork, and slowly let out a long sigh.

When she turned back, she found Xia He standing beside her, clutching her book bag and weeping bitterly with a face full of tears.

Chu Linlang was startled and asked what was wrong.

Xia He sobbed: “Elder young lady, I grieve for you! Why must all these baseless charges be laid at your door? You were studying so well here, and now you are made to walk out like this with your tail between your legs? Even if the reputation of us common people is not as precious as that of their noble lords and generals, they still have no right to humiliate us like this! And that Master Situ — if not for him, how would you have gotten such a reputation? And he actually has the nerve to say that you were just a passing dalliance!”

Chu Linlang took out a handkerchief and wiped Xia He’s tears: “I should never have come here to begin with. Now it is simply dust returning to dust and earth to earth. What is there to feel aggrieved about? As for my affairs with Master Situ, it is not as simple as you think…”

Xia He was still indignant and wanted to say more, but was stopped by Chu Linlang.

Lately she had the constant sense that someone was following her.

Ever since the time she had nearly been abducted, she was always cautious when going out, and paid especially close attention to the movements around her. On several occasions she had clearly spotted the people who were tailing her, and they looked somewhat unlike people from the central plains.