In Tao Huiru’s eyes, this Chu Linlang was actually rather pitiable.

She must have thought that a cast-off wife like herself, with no matrimonial prospects, had somehow managed to bewitch a brilliant talent of the current court — and considered herself tremendously lucky, on the verge of soaring to glory and prosperity.

Little did she know that Situ Sheng was nothing but the descendant of a convicted criminal. Once his identity was exposed, he would die without even a burial ground to his name!

As for a man — harboring secrets he could not speak of, lurking in solitude within this capital — he must have found it unbearable in his loneliness.

And so Situ Sheng had found a woman like Chu Linlang — someone of no distinguished birth, easy to manipulate as a single woman — to pass the time in his desolate hours.

Yet how could a man of such deep cunning and impenetrable composure ever entrust his life’s secrets and personal history to a woman who had been cast aside and could not bear children?

With that thought, Tao Huiru gave another cold laugh, convinced that this Chu woman — for all her apparent shrewdness and calculation — had no idea of her sweetheart’s true circumstances, and would likely come to no good end in the future.

She herself was the legitimate daughter of a Duke’s household — exchanging even a single extra word with such a foolish woman was beneath her dignity.

And so Tao Huiru sat in her carriage, gazing down from her elevated position, the corners of her mouth curling slightly as she looked at Chu Linlang — clearly too proud to deign to speak with her — then shifted her gaze forward and said to the driver: “Return to the residence!”

Chu Linlang had encountered a soft rebuff, and found Tao Huiru’s reaction rather intriguing. Perhaps this lay Buddhist was bristling because her reputation in the capital had recently become quite tarnished?

Linlang smiled indifferently and turned back to continue distributing the sweet soup.

At the same time, however, a note written in cipher was discovered among the documents at Situ Sheng’s official office.

After decoding it by the usual method, he read it, then following his usual practice, held the slip of paper over the incense burner and let it catch flame. He then rose, prepared his horse, and rode with Guanqi to a ruined temple on the outskirts of the capital.

He stepped inside the ruined temple and stood for a moment, when a figure emerged from behind the statue of the deity — none other than the Jing Kingdom’s Princess Consort Hudulie, who should long since have departed the capital!

Situ Sheng stared at him, and then suddenly launched himself forward in a flying lunge, swinging his fist in an attack.

The boxing style both father and son used had been passed down from Yang Xun — the same school, the same approach.

Yet Yang Yi had lived in the martial-spirited lands of the Jing Kingdom, and had wrestled with Jing Kingdom warriors year after year. His combat experience naturally surpassed his son’s by some measure.

But all his seasoned experience was no match for Situ Sheng’s seemingly unhinged and erratic fighting.

After taking several blows to the face in succession, Yang Yi finally used a deft move to trip Situ Sheng, then pressed his face to the ground and pinned him there, gritting his teeth as he snarled: “Have you gone mad! You dare raise your fists against your own father!”

Situ Sheng, held down and unable to move for the moment, replied coldly: “Didn’t everyone always say I took after my mother — that I was born mad, bound to lose my mind sooner or later?”

Yang Yi’s expression shifted: “That was said in the heat of anger when you were young and causing trouble — you actually took it to heart!”

Saying that, he finally released his grip on Situ Sheng and said in a somewhat moderated tone: “You did well this time — you finally managed to persuade that Emperor Jinren to send out troops. You should know that the Jing Kingdom is currently in a weakened state, and if this opportunity is missed, there will be no chance of recovery. Only when the two nations are at war will there be any opportunity to take revenge on that dog emperor…”

Situ Sheng rose and brushed the dust from his clothes, letting out a cold laugh: “You speak as though you care deeply about the nation and its people. For the sake of this opportunity, you truly went to great lengths — not even willing to spare a delicate woman, setting such a despicable trap, and even attempting to frame the elder General Li’s son. Can you honestly say you have done right by any of them?”

When the name of the elder General Li was mentioned, Yang Yi turned his head slightly with a trace of discomfort, yet still spoke with unrepentant assurance: “Those who accomplish great things do not trouble themselves with minor matters. Your raving and ranting is nothing more than concern for that Chu merchant woman. What do you mean by ‘going through the motions’? Do you think you can fool me? You clearly gave her the family heirloom jade bracelet!”

Situ Sheng’s brow furrowed: “How did you know?”

Yang Yi made no attempt to conceal it, and proceeded to recount how Tao Huiru had discovered the Chu woman, and then come to confront him with it.

Situ Sheng had never imagined that the secret he and Linlang had so carefully guarded would be seized upon by Tao Huiru following some stray thread of evidence — nor had he anticipated that his father would so carelessly reveal everything to that woman. For a moment he truly could not suppress the urge to give Yang Yi another few punches.

He could not hold back the cold question: “What did you mean by laying everything bare to the Tao woman like that?”

Yang Yi looked at him coldly: “I thought it over, and decided it was not a bad idea to give you a sense of crisis. Only when a sword hangs over one’s head does one remain alert even in times of peace — otherwise you would grow too comfortable in your residence in the capital, forgetting everything in your contentment, indulging in the quiet little life of a man with his door closed to the world. If you truly care for that young woman, then leave her. Otherwise, sooner or later you will drag down the woman you love. When that day comes, do not blame me for failing to warn you, and then pin the blame on me for harming that woman too!”

Situ Sheng had not expected Yang Yi to have such calculations in mind — forcing him to voluntarily separate from Chu Linlang.

Yet Yang Yi was not wrong. Once his secrets came to light, Linlang would inevitably be implicated. To keep her safe, the only way was to leave her.

“And what if I take Linlang and fly far away from all of this?” Situ Sheng ground his teeth and asked slowly.

Yang Yi looked at Situ Sheng the way one looks at a child throwing a tantrum: “Could you bear to live your days in comfort while doing nothing for your mother?”

He held a thread that kept Situ Sheng tethered — he had no fear of him straying too far.

Perhaps because of this leverage against his soft spot, Situ Sheng drew a deep breath and worked to extinguish the anger he had suppressed within his heart for days.

He said in a low, firm voice: “I fear the Tao woman will not wait for you to be done with me before she sells me out.”

Yang Yi shook his head: “Rest easy. She is more afraid than anyone of your identity as a descendant of the Yang lineage being exposed. After all, her one and only son also carries Yang Family blood. If the Emperor were to have his suspicions aroused, do you think he would leave a hidden threat at his side?”

Tao Zan was the soft spot Yang Yi used to keep the Tao woman in check. He had truly made thorough use of every single one of his sons.

At that, Yang Yi’s expression grew stern: “My wish is not to see you suffer. It is only that the Yang Family’s blood debt of vengeance remains unsettled, and it keeps me from sleeping night or day. If you wish to be free sooner, you must help me.”

Situ Sheng said nothing. He drew another deep breath and said mildly: “I have been greatly missing my mother these past few days. I have also purchased some clothing for her, as well as nourishing medicinal herbs and food. You must be heading back soon — I would trouble you to convey these things to my mother’s hands.”

With that, he turned and called to Guanqi, who dismounted and retrieved a thick bundle from the horse, handing it to Yang Yi.

Yang Yi opened it and looked — it was indeed a substantial collection of premium medicinal supplements, ginseng among them. This package of goods was by no means cheap.

Yang Yi remarked with a mocking tone: “You have become quite prosperous these days.”

In previous years, what Situ Sheng had sent for his mother had always been small clay figurines he crafted by hand — as though he had hoped such toys from childhood might stir some flicker of memory in her.

Perhaps he had finally grown up. This year he had turned more practical, sending food and nourishing supplements instead.

Situ Sheng gave a slight smile and said with self-deprecating ease: “My official position is now reasonably good, after all. If you would like some for yourself, I can purchase an extra set for you as well.”

A scene approaching something like paternal concern — it was quite unfamiliar to Yang Yi.

At the very least, he had never had a moment of warmth like this with the son standing before him.

Yet when Situ Sheng was a little less cutting than usual, Yang Yi would momentarily forget himself and remember that he was the father of this tall young man.

Yang Yi frowned with some awkwardness, and said with a touch of stiffness: “There is no need… Take care of yourself as well… If anything changes at court, notify me promptly through the courier.”

After those words were spoken, father and son had nothing more to say to each other. One headed north, one headed south — they parted and went their separate ways.

Situ Sheng rode on through the night wind, making his way straight to Linlang’s country retreat on the outskirts of the capital.

Linlang was in the courtyard, watering freshly planted flowers. She looked up, saw Situ Sheng walking in, lifted her face with a smile and was about to rise.

But Situ Sheng crouched down first and pulled her tightly into his arms.

Linlang was held so firmly in that tight embrace she could barely breathe, and she could clearly sense that something was off with Situ Sheng’s mood.

She did not try to pull free — she simply set down the water ladle first, and then held him in a comforting embrace and asked: “What happened?”

Situ Sheng simply closed his eyes, letting the tip of his straight nose wander between Linlang’s hair bun and her slender neck. Only in this moment did he feel any sense of returning from hell to the world of the living.

How was he to tell Linlang that his identity had been discovered by Tao Huiru?

And that she might need to leave the capital and go far away to safety.

With danger closing in, he could not allow Linlang to remain in harm’s way. But that would mean the two of them would be separated by the ends of the earth, with no knowing when they might meet again.

Once the two of them had returned inside to be alone, Situ Sheng told Chu Linlang everything Yang Yi had said.

Upon hearing it all, Linlang involuntarily drew a sharp breath. She suddenly recalled that morning at the recruitment post, when she had been distributing the sweet soup — Tao Huiru, peering at her from inside the carriage with that cold, laden gaze, and the unmistakably deliberate way she had kept her distance.

At the time, Linlang had not been able to fully read her. But now, combined with Situ Sheng’s words, that gaze — on reflection — had been filled with lofty contempt, the way one looks at a lamb destined for slaughter…

Once she had fully understood the situation, Chu Linlang actually grew calm.

Yang Yi was right: in her heart, Tao Huiru must have been itching to be rid of Situ Sheng at her earliest opportunity — yet she absolutely could not do so by way of his identity as a descendant of the Yang lineage. With that being the case, even though a blade hung overhead, there was no need to fear it falling imminently.

Compared to this matter, Linlang was actually more concerned about something else entirely: “The nourishing herbs and medicines I prepared for your mother — did he take them all?”

It turned out that everything Situ Sheng was sending to his mother this year had been personally purchased by Chu Linlang.

The items were of excellent quality — the only question was whether Yang Yi would actually deliver them to Lady Wen.

Situ Sheng thought for a moment and said: “In minor matters of this kind, he is not inclined to go back on his word.”

From the Jing Kingdom guard commander’s mouth, he had learned that Yang Yi had purchased a property in the mixed-settlement border region in the northern territories — not only did he go there to spend the winters, but in summer he would occasionally go there alone as well…

Upon hearing this, Situ Sheng had formed a conjecture: in that area, Yang Yi might have more than one property — and might have Lady Wen placed in one of them.

He had therefore already sent word to Liao Jingxuan, asking him to station people there. When Yang Yi next traveled north, they might be able to follow the trail and trace his mother’s hiding place.

Linlang knew of Situ Sheng’s plan, and so among the nourishing supplements she had prepared, several packets of medicinal herbs intended to soothe and settle the mind were quite carefully selected — she had consulted an imperial physician from the palace for formulations tailored to specific symptoms, and the ingredients were not commonly found elsewhere. Among them were rare insects from the southern regions, which when decocted together with the spirit-calming purple fluorite produced a distinctive aroma that was impossible to overlook.

Even if they could not track Yang Yi directly, as long as he delivered those medicinal herbs to Lady Wen, when the herbs were boiled and the aroma spread, it might give Liao Jingxuan’s people — who were combing the area — a thread to follow.

But for now, all of it was uncertain. They could only take it one step at a time.

Watching the way Situ Sheng appeared, after each meeting with Yang Yi, to be in pain he could not contain, Chu Linlang truly wished she could find Lady Wen at once, and relieve Situ Sheng of his greatest burden.

For a time, the two of them lay in silence, leaning against each other on the bed in sleepless wakefulness, each worrying about the other’s future, with nothing to hold but their fingers tightly interlaced.

Just as she was on the verge of drifting off, Linlang said softly: “I will send Mother ahead to the estate in the southern region. But I will not be going. Wherever you are, I will be there too.”

This was her final decision, and she would not entertain any objections from Situ Sheng.

If he refused to agree, she would manage herself regardless. She was a living, breathing person — even if he sent her to the ends of the earth, she would find a way back.

Hearing such willful words from her, Situ Sheng’s instinct was to rebuke her for being reckless.

But in the dim darkness, a warm and soft body had pressed itself down upon him without the slightest allowance for argument, and Situ Sheng’s lips were once again filled with Linlang’s warmth…

Once the kiss was done, Linlang spoke with an unrefusable tone against his ear: “Don’t argue with me. If you dare push me away too far, believe it or not, I will want nothing more to do with you from that point on… Ah…”

It seemed that the words “want nothing more to do with you” had entirely struck this particular person’s most sensitive nerve. The young woman who had just been boldly issuing her proclamations from above found herself thoroughly turned over and toppled.

Situ Sheng pressed her down with one hand, a domineering fierceness flashing in his eyes: “You dare say you want nothing to do with me?”

And then he proceeded to show her in action that now that she was bound up with him, she should not even dream of easily shaking him loose…

Linlang’s laughter, ringing like silver bells, scattered the gloom that had filled the room. Even if the road ahead was difficult, at the very least, neither of them faced it alone.

With troops now deployed at the border, the prayers and incense offerings at the imperial temple could not cease.

The Empress Dowager also wished to hold another ritual ceremony to pray for the nation’s fortunes.

Linlang, as an imperial-bestowed auspicious person, naturally had to follow the Great Master Lingyun in arranging incense and setting up the ritual formation.

But while at the imperial temple, she unexpectedly encountered Tao Zan — Situ Sheng’s half-brother on his father’s side.

Tao Zan held a minor appointed position at the temple, serving as the temple official overseeing the prayers and blessings. For the ritual ceremony, he naturally had to be present as well.

Although Chu Linlang had no intention of speaking with him, knowing that he was Situ Sheng’s younger brother made her look at him a few extra times out of unavoidable curiosity.

This younger brother bore very little physical resemblance to his older brother. Young Master Tao appeared more refined and slender — the look of a boy who had not yet fully grown into a man.

Yet those few extra glances of hers drew Tao Zan into addressing her.

After the incense offering was complete and the temple monks began burning incense and chanting prayers, Tao Zan followed behind Linlang as she stepped outside, casually asking: “Is there something wrong with my appearance? Why do you keep looking at me?”

Chu Linlang did not initially realize he was speaking to her — only when Tao Zan ran over to her side and asked again did she turn around in belated realization.

This young master was truly presumptuous!

Even if she had been impolite in looking at him a few extra times, he had no business chasing after her to ask about it in such a setting!

From what she had heard, Tao Huiru doted excessively on this only son of hers. Apparently, for fear of gossip about his background, she had barely let him attend the academy, keeping him at home under private tutors from the start — which seemed to have left him with something of an unaware, unworldly liveliness.

Tao Zan had not noticed his own rudeness. In this place filled with shaved heads, there was not a single person around his own age to talk to, and he had been stifled with boredom every single day.

It happened that today’s ceremonial ritual was particularly elaborate, bringing with it so many unfamiliar faces, and this had stirred some liveliness in him.

Besides, this Honorable Lady of New Plum was truly beautiful! Especially when her lively eyes had looked directly at him — it was as though a pearl oyster had been pried open, and the instant brilliance of that radiant glow had shone straight into his eyes.

He paid no attention to his mother’s social dealings in ordinary times, and knew even less of the grievances and entanglements between his mother and this Chu Niangzi.

Tao Zan, just like those unworldly young men at the academy, acted entirely on an open-hearted candor that knew no depths, and called out to this beautiful woman with complete lack of restraint.

Unfortunately, Chu Linlang had long since shed the hazy, unknowing state of youth, and had no great welcome for Young Master Tao’s overly familiar attitude.

Watching as he continued to ask with persistent determination, she could only smile with reserved propriety: “I am always prone to spacing out — when my mind wanders, I often don’t even know what I am looking at myself. If I have given any offense to Official Tao, please be generous in overlooking it.”

But Tao Zan waved his hand repeatedly: “How could I blame Chu Niangzi? I have heard all about you rescuing the female teacher and her students at the oasis, and then your brave resistance against the wicked Jing Kingdom envoy. Before meeting you, I had pictured you as a stout and broad-shouldered woman — I never expected you to be this slender and delicate. It is truly hard to believe.”

Although Linlang had attended Tao Huiru’s gatherings of cultured women in the past, there had been so many people on those occasions that Tao Zan had not taken particular notice of Linlang.

But now, against the backdrop of a temple full of monks in their robes, Linlang stood out like a pearl that could not be overlooked.

Seeing that Linlang had not walked toward the dining hall and did not seem inclined to eat the vegetarian meal, Tao Zan — who was not particularly hungry either — simply fell into step behind Chu Linlang, following one step behind, asking her in an unending stream of questions: where her hometown was, whether she had a father and brothers and sisters at home, and the like.

As she walked along, Chu Linlang suddenly stopped and turned around to ask Tao Zan: “…I wonder whether Official Tao’s father and brothers are still living?”

This pointed remark of hers was calculated to make this somewhat clingy young man feel timely embarrassment and learn to keep his distance.

Tao Zan was indeed somewhat embarrassed and taken aback for a moment. But then it occurred to him that this Chu woman had come from a province outside the capital — she was not a longtime resident of the city, and would have no way of knowing the twists of his history.

With that, he felt no further embarrassment, and said with complete ease: “Our family had some misfortune in earlier years, so I took my mother’s surname and was registered in the Tao family’s genealogy.”

Chu Linlang nodded slowly with a look of dawning understanding, let her gaze roam gradually around their surroundings, and then said: “I myself have a father and brothers — it has been a long while since we last met, and I do miss them. Sometimes I want to write a family letter, but my calligraphy is truly terrible. Every time I write it, I revise it; every time I revise it, I write it again…”

At the moment, they were standing inside a temporary canopy that had been erected in a side hall for the ritual ceremony. On the table within the canopy, brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone had been set out for record-keeping purposes.

Hearing this, Tao Zan’s spirits immediately lifted — for his calligraphy was excellent, and he was keen to show it off before this honorable lady. He said at once: “What is the difficulty with that? You dictate, and I will write it for you!”

Chu Linlang upon hearing this immediately expressed her heartfelt thanks to Official Tao, then sat down facing Tao Zan and said, with a moment’s consideration: “Dear Elder Brother, I hope you are well. Though I think of you and Father with longing, I find myself bound here in the capital with no freedom to act as I wish, unable to fulfill my filial duties at Father’s side. Yet my every thought is entirely with you, and I long to cast aside the darkness and come to the light, to help Elder Brother at his side at the earliest opportunity…”

At this point, Tao Zan looked up: “Chu Niangzi, your use of ‘cast aside the darkness and come to the light’ doesn’t seem quite right, does it? What line of work are your father and brother in?”

Chu Linlang kept her expression perfectly neutral and improvised smoothly: “My family are hereditary salt merchants. Our family’s founding principle is that only selling salt counts as honest business — everything else is considered frivolous! Now that I am in the capital selling miscellaneous goods, my father and brother see it as a dereliction of our proper calling. What is it — does Official Tao find my background too humble and my phrasing too crude?”

How could Tao Zan be so blunt toward such an attractive woman? He hastily expressed that if that was the case, ‘cast aside the darkness and come to the light’ was an excellent phrase — perfectly suited!

And so, in this manner, a heartfelt and sincere family letter was duly completed.

Linlang looked it over, tucked the letter away with satisfaction, then turned to take her leave.

Tao Zan felt that someone else could handle the remaining proceedings and he had no need to stay — it would be better to escort Chu Niangzi out of the imperial temple, and he could get home earlier that way.

And so for the remainder of the walk out, this young man maintained his naturally sociable and talkative manner, chattering away and conversing warmly with Chu Niangzi.

Chu Linlang could only endure it with great patience, keeping her expression neutral as she quickened her pace, hoping to descend the steps sooner and board her carriage to escape this person.

But Tao Zan seemed entirely unaware, and was still following up with questions about whether Chu Niangzi would come to the next ritual ceremony, saying he had noticed her technique for holding the incense stick was not quite correct, and that he could find time at the next occasion to give her proper guidance on the principles of the offerings and ritual.

Just as the young man was chattering away without pause, from below the steps came a sharp, commanding cry: “Tao Zan! Come here this instant!”

Chu Linlang looked down and saw Tao Huiru standing in front of the carriage, staring at her with an ugly expression on her face.

The moment Tao Zan saw his mother, he deflated like a lively little mouse that had suddenly spotted a cat.

He had no choice but to gather up the hem of his official garment and hurry down the steps, saying with sullen indignation: “Mother, why have you come to pick me up again? I am not a child anymore — having you come to personally fetch and escort me all the time, what will my colleagues think when they see?”

Tao Huiru had no patience for his chatter just now. She narrowed her eyes and said simply: “Get in the carriage.”

Tao Zan could not help glancing back toward Chu Niangzi, afraid his mother might say something that would cause him to lose face in front of the beauty, and so he got in the carriage with a disgruntled huff.

Tao Huiru, wearing the severe look of a senior nun, walked a few steps forward and said to Chu Linlang: “Chu Niangzi, would you allow me to take a walk over to the nearby grove? I have some words I wish to speak with you.”

Having learned that Tao Huiru had discovered Situ Sheng’s hidden identity and origins, Chu Linlang had also been looking for an opportunity to sound out the depths of Tao Huiru’s intentions.

So hearing her suggestion, Chu Linlang went along graciously and made a “please, after you” gesture.

Once they entered the bamboo grove nearby, Tao Huiru’s pretense at civility and pleasantries was becoming difficult to maintain. She spun around abruptly and said to Chu Linlang in a cold voice: “My dear Zan, though he was raised with every comfort and indulgence, growing up somewhat naive and unworldly, as long as I, his mother, am here — scheming women of low character who harbor improper intentions should not even dream of getting close to him!”

This woman was practiced at seducing men with her looks. Could it be that she harbored resentment toward herself, and was now going to try to seduce her son as a means of private revenge?

Hearing such an unreasonable and overbearing accusation, Chu Linlang could not suppress a faint cold smile. Only now did she understand why the lay Buddhist’s reaction had been so pronounced just a moment ago!

In Tao Huiru’s eyes, Tao Zan’s following her all this way and talking with her was the work of her — this “woman of low character” — deliberately seducing that pure and innocent son of hers!

With that in mind, Chu Linlang dropped any further courtesy toward her, and rebutted coldly: “I find these words of Lay Buddhist Tao rather difficult to comprehend. If women who harbor improper intentions are not permitted near your noble son, then why are you yourself able to remain calmly at his side? Are you not afraid of setting a bad example for your son?”

—