Changning turned her head excitedly and tugged at Fan Changyu's sleeve, "Sister, is brother-in-law looking at us?"
She strained her voice to shout "Brother-in-law!" twice toward the street below, but the bustling crowd was roaring "Wu'an Marquis," completely drowning out her childish cries.
Just as the army was about to pass beneath the tavern, Xie Zheng gave a slight nod toward the upper floor—whether he'd heard Changning's shouts or was acknowledging Fan Changyu remained unclear.
Adjacent private rooms erupted in brief exclamations as a flurry of objects clattered down from their windows.
"Wu'an Marquis is looking at our young miss!"
"Nonsense! He was clearly nodding at our lady!"
The maidservants accompanying various young ladies argued fervently on their mistresses' behalf, tossing down the flower baskets they'd been holding in their excitement.
Great Yin's customs were liberal, and on such celebratory occasions, it was commonplace for unmarried maidens to throw flowers or handkerchiefs at returning troops. When Fan Changyu had entered the city with Tang Peiyi, she'd been pelted with numerous handkerchiefs herself.
Zhao Da Shu and Aunt Zhao watched disapprovingly as young women from every floor showered Xie Zheng with handkerchiefs. "Yan Zheng was looking at us just now, wasn't he?" they grumbled.
Despite her age, Aunt Zhao leaned halfway out the window, shouting, "Yan Zheng! Yan Zheng! Changyu is here!"
Fan Changyu, embarrassed, tried to retreat but was seized by Aunt Zhao, who urged, "Quickly, throw him a handkerchief too!"
Flustered, Fan Changyu protested, "Auntie, perhaps I shouldn't—"
Aunt Zhao glared. "What's there to be shy about? That's your lawfully wedded husband down there. If other girls can throw him handkerchiefs, why can't you?" With that, she pushed Fan Changyu toward the window.
Changning clapped her hands gleefully. "Sister, throw one! Throw one!"
Fan Changyu sighed. "I don't have any handkerchiefs. In the army, I just use a large sweat cloth."
Aunt Zhao was momentarily speechless but persisted, "Well... do you have a sachet or something? Just toss anything down!"
Naturally, Fan Changyu didn't carry sachets either.
After a moment's thought, she untied the russet ribbon from her hair.
Holding the ribbon, Fan Changyu steeled herself and approached the window. Compared to the perfumed, intricately embroidered silk handkerchiefs the other young ladies had thrown, her plain ribbon seemed woefully inadequate—its coarse fabric so unremarkable that no one would bother picking it up if it fell in the street.
She was about to toss it perfunctorily when Xie Zheng suddenly looked up directly at her.
Their eyes met midair. Fan Changyu's heart skipped a beat, and the ribbon in her hand was momentarily forgotten.
Aunt Zhao fretted beside her. "Changyu, throw it! Yan Zheng is watching you!"
Snapping back to reality, Fan Changyu felt her heart pound so violently it might leap from her throat. Clenching her fist, she flung the ribbon downward with the determination of one marching to certain death.
Though her martial arts training ensured perfect aim, the lightweight ribbon caught a sudden gust of wind. Just as it seemed about to sail over Xie Zheng's head, the stern-faced young Marquis raised his hand and effortlessly caught the russet ribbon.
The watching crowd erupted in deafening cheers.Along the way, countless young women had thrown handkerchiefs at him, and even those that landed right before him hadn't earned a second glance. For him to suddenly reach out and catch a hair ribbon was truly extraordinary.
Xie Zheng expressionlessly tucked the hair ribbon Fan Changyu had thrown into his robe, casting a brief glance in her direction before calmly focusing ahead as he continued riding.
The exclamations from the onlookers and young ladies grew even louder, with some even bursting into tears on the spot.
"Whose hair ribbon was that?"
"Could it be that the Wu'an Marquis has a sweetheart?"
The people lining both sides of the street craned their necks, trying to identify which private room in the tavern the ribbon had come from. But all they saw were three closed windows, making it impossible to tell which distinguished guest had thrown it.
All three private rooms had been reserved by Fan Changyu.
When Xie Zheng caught the ribbon and tucked it away while looking at her, Fan Changyu felt as if lightning had struck her chest. Her heartbeat raced so fast it frightened her, and her mind went momentarily numb.
Almost reflexively, she slammed the window shut and turned back to sit at the round table. Under Aunt Zhao's stunned gaze, her entire face flushed crimson from the neck up to the tips of her ears.
After a moment's pause, Aunt Zhao said with a mix of amusement and exasperation, "You silly girl, you've been married for so long—what are you still so shy about?"
Fan Changyu pinched her burning earlobes without speaking, only her long, dark lashes fluttering incessantly, as if still trembling from the shock.
Even Changning couldn't help laughing. "Sister is shy!"
Xie Wu and Xie Qi stood silently in the corner with their heads bowed, doing their best to blend into the walls.
It took quite a while before Fan Changyu recovered, the flush on her face fading slightly. She pinched Changning's chubby cheek and said, "Our Ning Niang has grown bold, teasing her elder sister now?"
With one cheek pinched by Fan Changyu, Changning's grin still stretched nearly to her other ear. "Big brother looked at you, and you got so scared you shut the window!"
The redness that had just begun to fade from Fan Changyu's face threatened to return at Changning's innocent remark. She put on a stern face. "You cheeky little thing! I closed the window because there were too many eyes around—it could have caused trouble."
Changning stuck out her tongue, not daring to push further.
Zhao Mu Jiang, still awed by the spectacle he had just witnessed, took a sip of tea before saying, "I heard so many people shouting 'Wu'an Marquis,' but I didn't see him. Is his entourage at the back of the army?"
The cries of the young women had been drowned out by the louder cheers, and with the capital's distinctive accent, Zhao Mu Jiang hadn't been able to make out much of what was said.
Unfamiliar with the order of precedence in military processions, he recalled that when Fan Changyu and the others had entered the capital, Tang Peiyi had been at the front. Logically, since the Wu'an Marquis held the highest rank, shouldn't he have been leading the procession? Why was Yan Zheng at the head instead?
The fame of the Wu'an Marquis had spread like thunder across Great Yin after he recaptured Jinzhou and reclaimed the twelve counties of Liaodong.
Zhao Mu Jiang had been eager to catch a glimpse of such a legendary general.
Fan Changyu silently wiped her face.
The moment had finally come...
She scratched her head awkwardly. "Well... Uncle, Auntie, there's something I haven't told you."Aunt Zhao saw her troubled expression and immediately said, "Child, do you really see your uncle and me as outsiders? Whatever it is, just say it directly."
Fan Changyu looked at the elderly couple and said, "Actually, Yan Zheng is the Wu'an Marquis."
Zhao Mu Jiang's hand trembled, spilling half a cup of tea on himself. Ignoring the scalding heat, he hastily stood up, shaking his clothes, his aged eyes wide with shock as he stared at Fan Changyu: "What?"
Aunt Zhao's mouth also fell open, her gaze darting between Fan Changyu and Zhao Mu Jiang, too stunned to utter a word.
Fan Changyu had expected the elderly couple to be surprised upon learning Xie Zheng's true identity, but she hadn't anticipated they'd be this shocked.
Seeing their disbelief, as if doubting their own ears, she repeated: "Yan Zheng is the Wu'an Marquis."
"Good heavens above..."
Zhao Mu Jiang's legs gave way, and he slumped back into his armchair. Gulping, he asked, "You mean the Wu'an Marquis who reclaimed the twelve counties of Liaodong and slaughtered the barbarians in Jinzhou?"
Fan Changyu nodded.
Aunt Zhao stammered, "I... I heard the Wu'an Marquis has three heads and six arms, eating raw flesh and drinking blood. But Yan... Yan Zheng looks more like the leading actor in an opera troupe. How could he be the Wu'an Marquis?"
Hearing Aunt Zhao's description of what she imagined Xie Zheng to be, Fan Changyu couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated.
She explained, "Those are just rumors. Generals on the battlefield need fearsome reputations to intimidate the enemy. Even I have been called the 'Ogre' in the army."
Despite Fan Changyu's explanation, the elderly couple needed quite some time to recover from the shock.
Aunt Zhao looked at Fan Changyu and asked, "So... now that Yan Zheng is a Marquis, do we have to kowtow when we see him?"
The question caught Fan Changyu off guard. Back when she was still in Lin'an Town, the first thing that would come to mind when meeting high-ranking officials would probably be how many kowtows were required.
Now, in the imperial court, the only person left who could make her kneel and kowtow was the one sitting on the dragon throne.
Unconsciously, she had come so far on this journey, and for a moment, she felt quite emotional.
She said, "Uncle and Aunt were once his benefactors. He would never accept such formalities from you."
Back then, when Xie Zheng was severely injured, none of the town's physicians dared to treat him. If not for Zhao Mu Jiang's decades of experience as a veterinarian, prescribing medicine as a last resort, Xie Zheng might not have survived.
Hearing Fan Changyu's words, the elderly Zhao couple seemed to recall their days in Lin'an Town, and their sense of distance from Xie Zheng immediately lessened.
Aunt Zhao looked at Fan Changyu hesitantly, inevitably worrying about her future: "Then... your wedding back then doesn't count anymore?"
What she really wanted to ask was what their plans were now.
When Fan Changyu rose to prominence, Aunt Zhao, knowing the girl she had watched grow up so well, wasn't afraid she would abandon Yan Zheng.
But now that Yan Zheng was a Marquis, Aunt Zhao couldn't help but worry. Those high-ranking officials often kept multiple wives and concubines. Earlier, when the army passed by downstairs, Yan Zheng had accepted the hair ribbon Fan Changyu gave him, showing he still had feelings for her. But she wondered just how deep those feelings ran.
Hearing Aunt Zhao's question, Fan Changyu thought about how their marriage had been a sham from the start, agreed upon by both of them, and nodded.Aunt Zhao grew anxious at once and said, "Even if the initial marriage was a pretense, you two became husband and wife through hardship. Now that you've achieved prosperity together, how could you possibly part ways?"
Fan Changyu finally understood what Aunt Zhao was hinting at. Recalling Xie Zheng's words that night about wanting to formally marry her, her face flushed slightly. "You're overthinking things," she replied.
Until the truth behind the Jinzhou incident was uncovered, her grandfather's name would remain tarnished.
Only by clearing the Meng family's name could she rightfully stand beside Xie Zheng as a descendant of the Meng family and bring peace to the spirits of her grandfather and parents in the afterlife.
But the political situation in court was complex, and the elderly Zhao couple were simple folk. Explaining too much would only confuse and worry them unnecessarily.
"Don't worry," she reassured. "He's not that kind of person."
With Changyu's assurance, Aunt Zhao felt relieved.
The triumphant army had already gathered before the Meridian Gate awaiting imperial summons, and the bustling crowds in the streets gradually dispersed.
Fan Changyu, the two elderly members of the Zhao family, the two children, along with Xie Qi and Xie Wu, returned to the Office of Presentations.
On the way, Changning spotted a sugar-figure vendor and clamored to buy some. Changyu took her and Bao'er to purchase the treats, with Xie Wu accompanying them in case of any mishaps.
Xie Qi, responsible for driving the carriage, remained with the elderly Zhao couple in the vehicle.
Despite having seen the capital's sights many times, Aunt Zhao couldn't resist peeking through the carriage curtains, marveling at the city's prosperity.
Seeing that Changyu and the children would take a while buying sugar figures, Aunt Zhao thought about the approaching New Year. She decided to buy some red fabric to sew lucky red pouches for the children's New Year money. After informing Xie Qi, she headed to a nearby fabric stall.
As Aunt Zhao browsed the dizzying array of fabrics, she overheard several women nearby gossiping while selecting materials: "Have you heard? When the Wu'an Marquis entered the city, he accepted a handkerchief thrown by a maiden. I wonder which lucky girl in the capital caught his eye!"
Another woman chimed in, "With the entire street packed shoulder-to-shoulder moments before, who could tell which family's daughter threw it? Besides, it was just a handkerchief. Given the Marquis's status, he probably took it casually to avoid embarrassing the girl by discarding it publicly."
"Wait, was it a handkerchief? I heard it was a hair ribbon!" interjected a third woman. "A handkerchief might be acceptable in such circumstances, but a hair ribbon is different. I'd say the Marquis likely has his eye on someone."
The first speaker continued, "The only truly accomplished beauty in the capital is Grand Tutor Li's youngest daughter. They say the young mistress is sixteen and still unmarried—perhaps she's been waiting for the Wu'an Marquis!"
Aunt Zhao had no intention of joining the conversation, but at these words, she set down the fabric she was examining and addressed the women: "That hair ribbon belongs to my daughter."
The women glanced at Aunt Zhao, then suddenly burst into laughter behind their silk handkerchiefs.
Though Aunt Zhao's clothing wasn't poor quality, it bore no resemblance to the finery worn by wealthy matrons. Her hands, roughened by years of labor, and her provincial accent made the women dismiss her entirely.One of them teased, "Auntie, how old is your daughter?"
Aunt Zhao calculated Fan Changyu's age and replied, "She'll be seventeen soon."
At this, the women covered their lips and giggled, their exchanged glances full of mockery.
The woman said, "A seventeen-year-old spinster throws a hair ribbon, and the Wu'an Marquis picks it up and tucks it into his robe? Auntie, is your daughter some celestial beauty?"
Though their words weren't explicitly vulgar, the scorn and ridicule in their tone and manner were unmistakable to Aunt Zhao.
Her chest tightened at hearing Fan Changyu mocked like this. Gripping the fabric tighter, she glared at the women and retorted, "My daughter may not be a celestial beauty, but she's a female general who defends our homeland!"
This only made them think she was spouting nonsense. One woman tossed down her fabric, saying, "Has she gone mad? Best not stand too close."
They all stepped back as if afraid Aunt Zhao might harm them.
The vendor, seeing his business slipping away and having heard Aunt Zhao's claims, snatched the fabric from her hands and scolded, "You crazy old hag, don't ruin my business!"
Though kind-hearted, Aunt Zhao was no pushover. She immediately fired back, "You brat, how unreasonable! I'm buying your goods, and you dare insult me? Everyone, come judge—this man is bullying an old woman in broad daylight! Is there no law anymore?"
The vendor hadn't expected this seemingly meek old woman to be so tough. As a crowd gathered, he hastily explained, "This old hag's gone mad! First, she claims the Wu'an Marquis picked up her daughter's hair ribbon, then says her daughter's a female general, and now she's causing a scene at my stall!"
Aunt Zhao planted her hands on her hips and snapped, "Why can't my daughter be a female general?"
Seizing the opportunity, the vendor excitedly addressed the onlookers, "Did you all hear that? This madwoman's lost her mind! The only female general in Great Yin is the General of the Cloud Banner. Are you saying your daughter is the General of the Cloud Banner?"
The moment he finished, the crowd erupted in jeers and pointing fingers.
"She must be insane! Would a heroine like the General of the Cloud Banner have such an embarrassing mother?"
Aunt Zhao had only lashed out after being insulted and driven away by the vendor. Now, hearing this, she regretted the argument. Fan Changyu served in the court, and even if this didn't cause her trouble, it would surely shame her. Guilt gnawed at Aunt Zhao.
She said, "I'm her neighbor! I watched that girl grow up!"
With that, she tried to leave, but the crowd hemmed her in. Seeing her embarrassment, they refused to let her go.
A weasel-faced man with a thin mustache sneered loudly, "Oh, so you're just the General of the Cloud Banner's neighbor? Well, I'm her uncle!"
The crowd burst into derisive laughter.
Then, a crisp, authoritative woman's voice cut through the noise from beyond the crowd: "Auntie, haven't you picked out the fabric yet?"
The clamor abruptly died down. People instinctively parted, turning to look behind them.At the back stood a tall woman. In her left arm, she carried a little girl holding a sugar figurine, while her right hand held a little boy clutching a sugar-coated haws on a stick. Both children wore colorful street masks, making them look like twins at first glance.
Fan Changyu felt slightly uneasy under the sudden scrutiny of so many eyes.
After buying the sugar figurines for Changning and Bao'er, she had heard that Aunt Zhao had gone to purchase fabric but hadn't returned for a long time. Seeing the crowd gathered here, she came over to investigate.
To her surprise, the moment she spoke, everyone stared at her with strange expressions, while Aunt Zhao's face instantly darkened. Despite her age and usually unsteady legs, the old woman practically sprinted over, scooped up Yu Bao'er, and urgently said to Fan Changyu, "Hurry! Let's go!"
Baffled, Fan Changyu nevertheless carried Changning and followed Aunt Zhao toward their carriage.
Only then did murmurs arise from the crowd: "That... really is the General of the Cloud Banner?"
Someone confirmed, "Yes, it's her! When the generals from Jizhou entered the capital recently, I saw her at the city gates. She rode a tall horse right behind General Tang—so majestic!"
At these words, the crowd fell into an eerie silence.
After a long pause, someone cautiously ventured, "So... that hair ribbon the Wu'an Marquis keeps in his robe really belongs to the General of the Cloud Banner?"
The vendor and the women who had been buying fabric earlier looked as if they'd seen a ghost.
Who would have thought the bizarre claims of that old out-of-town woman—spoken in broken official dialect—were actually true!
Then, another timid voice piped up: "Those twins the General of the Cloud Banner is carrying... could they be hers and the Wu'an Marquis's?"
The crowd collectively gulped. Had they accidentally stumbled upon a monumental secret today?
Snapping out of his daze, the vendor grabbed several bolts of fabric and chased after Fan Changyu and Aunt Zhao, shouting, "General of the Cloud Banner! Madam! These fabrics are my gift to you! I was blind earlier—please don't hold it against me!"
Fearing this would bring trouble to Fan Changyu, Aunt Zhao turned and snarled at the vendor, "She's not who you think! You've mistaken her for someone else!"
But her denial only made the situation more suspicious.
The only one completely bewildered throughout this entire episode was Fan Changyu herself.
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