Love Like the Galaxy

At this time, Cui You was busy concluding the war and pacifying the region. Unable to wait for the army's return to the capital, Ling Buyi set off two days early with the Wan and Cheng families. During the journey, Shao Shang slipped into the carriage to humbly seek advice from her enigmatic elder brother.

"Every time the Lou Family is mentioned, why does Lord Ling always look so displeased? I haven't spoken a single word on their behalf, and I've only seen Lou Yao once since his marriage!"

"What's so strange about that?" Cheng Shaogong lazily lifted his eyelids. "Because heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know, and Ling Buyi himself knows best of all—if there were no Your Majesty, no He Family, no other entanglements, and you had to choose between him and Lou Yao at the dining table, which one would you pick to take a bite of?"

Shao Shang fell silent. After a moment, she struggled to argue, "That's not entirely true. Actually, I quite like Lord Ling now."

Cheng Shaogong yawned. "You should say that to him. Maybe it'll help him swallow his anger."

Upon returning to the capital, everyone went their separate ways—including Wan Songbai, who had originally intended to seek justice but was no longer the focus of the matter. Ling Buyi and Shao Shang separately went to see the Emperor and Empress. The Emperor was currently consulting several Confucian scholars about compiling texts. Noticing his adopted son's grave expression, he prepared to dismiss everyone in the hall, but Ling Buyi stopped Yuan Shen.

"I'm afraid we'll need Imperial Attendant Yuan's full assistance in this matter," Ling Buyi said.

Yuan Shen stiffened and bowed in acknowledgment.

By now, the Emperor had already detained Huang Wen. However, no matter how he was interrogated, Huang Wen only claimed that a junior fellow student he deeply trusted had informed him of Wan Songbai's 'crimes,' and that this fellow student had since disappeared. In the Emperor's mind, this matter was still only at the level of 'high-ranking regional officials repeatedly being targeted—there must be hidden reasons behind it.' It wasn't until he heard his adopted son's detailed account and step-by-step deductions that he realized the Copper Bull County case concealed unimaginable twists and layers of murderous schemes.

"Lord Ling's words are reasonable, and his deductions are meticulous. However..." Yuan Shen suddenly interjected, "there is still no irrefutable evidence directly proving Lou Ben's involvement. With only these circumstantial proofs, one could argue that Lou Ben merely befriended Yan Zhong privately and had nothing to do with Yan Zhong and Ma Rong's secret collusion."—Lou Ben had acted swiftly, leaving no direct evidence behind.

Ling Buyi replied, "Imperial Attendant Yuan is correct. I dare not act arbitrarily, fearing I might wrong Lou Ziwei. To this day, I haven't revealed even a hint of this to anyone else. Now, I only ask Your Majesty one thing: should we continue investigating?"

Yuan Shen fell silent. He understood the implication behind Ling Buyi's words—'If we investigate further, I will surely find evidence. But if Your Majesty wishes to gloss over this, then the matter ends here.'

The Emperor's face turned ashen, his posture rigid like ink frozen on white silk. He recalled Yan Zhong's stubborn yet fervent face, remembered Lou Taipu's decades of honest and loyal service, and thought of the Empress and the Crown Prince—they had done nothing wrong, yet they would inevitably be affected.

After a long silence, the Emperor said solemnly, "Heaven's justice is clear, and righteousness prevails. Investigate further. Get to the bottom of this!"

Ling Buyi bowed to accept the order, then fixed his gaze on Yuan Shen. Knowing there was no escape, Yuan Shen met his look with equal gravity.

...After leaving the Department of State Affairs, Ling Buyi headed straight to the Everlasting Autumn Palace, only to find Shao Shang absent. The Empress first expressed her concern for her foster son before smiling and saying, "That child Shao Shang didn’t say anything, just asked for two days' leave. Well, she’s been away from home for quite some time, so her family must be worried. Let her rest at home for a few days. Don’t act like a prison warden, always so stern with her."

"Did she really say nothing to Your Majesty?" Ling Buyi couldn’t believe it. He knew how much the girl revered and trusted the Empress.

The Empress thought for a moment and replied, "She only said that even if something were to happen, the Crown Prince and I need not worry. With you here, everything will be handled properly."

Ling Buyi’s expression remained unchanged, but his heart warmed. He had initially feared the girl might have revealed everything to the Empress and Crown Prince in advance, worrying that a leak could complicate matters. Yet, despite her usual willful and decisive nature, she knew how to weigh the gravity of serious situations.

For the next two days, Ling Buyi and Yuan Shen busied themselves gathering irrefutable evidence to convict Lou Ben. The two had never seen eye to eye, and now they avoided even looking at each other, communicating only when absolutely necessary.

Two days later, Cui You’s army finally returned to the capital. Since the rebellion had been small-scale and swiftly quelled, and the Emperor was in a complicated mood, no grand victory ceremony was held. The ministers cared little for such formalities, focusing instead on the upcoming rewards for merit, where the younger generation would be seated and rewarded under "Uncle Cui’s" distribution.

—It was also at this time that Ling Buyi and Yuan Shen finally obtained the ironclad evidence needed to convict Lou Ben.

After bidding farewell to the Emperor, who was trembling with anger, Ling Buyi marched straight to the Lou family’s residence with the imperial edict in hand. Yuan Shen, who had accompanied him to report, was incidentally appointed as deputy envoy and joined the mission.

Upon arriving at the Lou residence, they found it adorned with lanterns and decorations, filled with guests laughing and drinking, their merriment echoing through the streets. Only then did the two realize the Lou family was hosting a banquet. Yuan Shen hesitated, saying, "Perhaps we should return in half a day..."

Ling Buyi smirked mockingly. "Would coming back half a day later make our arrest any less offensive to the Lou family? Either stay out of it entirely or see it through to the end."

Yuan Shen’s expression darkened, and he fell silent.

Lou Taipu, upon hearing that the Emperor had sent envoys, hurried out with his family to greet them. The solemn demeanor of Ling and Yuan immediately signaled that this was no commendation from the Emperor. Lou Ben, however, remained composed despite the impending disaster. With a smile, he invited the two into the inner hall to discuss matters privately, preserving the Lou family’s dignity before their guests.

On the way to the inner hall, Lou Ben’s wife, Wang Yanji, and several other women rushed over. Ling Buyi’s eyes caught sight of someone behind Wang Yanji, and he frowned. "Where have you been these past few days? I didn’t have time to look for you, and here you are."

Shao Shang sighed helplessly. "The Lou family is hosting a banquet today, and the second young mistress invited my mother—oh, she’s gone to freshen up." She then took in her fiancé’s crimson court attire and added, "So, you’ve found the evidence after all?"

Wang Yanji paled. "What... what evidence? Shao Shang, our families are—"

Ling Buyi had no patience for drawn-out discussions outside. He cut in bluntly, "You should come too."Upon entering the inner hall, Ling Buyi addressed the gathering directly: "I presume Ziyou already knows why Imperial Attendant Yuan and I have come. You might as well explain things to your family and then accompany me to the Court of Justice."

"The... the Court of Justice?!" Madam Lou (second) trembled in shock. "What is the meaning of this?! Ziyou just rendered outstanding service! How could this... how could this..." Even though she never involved herself in external affairs, she knew the Court of Justice was no place for casual visits.

Shao Shang caught Wang Yanji's frantic and panicked gaze and responded with a bitter smile: "To be honest, I'm not entirely clear about the details either." Then she turned to Yuan Shen in surprise. "Why has Young Master Shanjian come as well?"

Yuan Shen let out a weary sigh and remained silent.

Ling Buyi said coldly, "Lou Ben colluded with Rebel Peng's general Ma Rong to deceive Copper Bull County Magistrate Yan Zhong into entrusting his family and the refined copper to them, only to slaughter them all. Then he directed Ma Rong to trick open the gates of Copper Bull County City, and finally pretended to persuade Ma Rong to surrender—the two of them worked in tandem to execute this threefold scheme!"

Lou Taipu turned pale with shock: "How can this be?! This... how could this..."

Madam Lou (eldest) wore a stern expression, her gaze at Lou Ben both fierce and contemptuous. Madam Lou (second) had already collapsed onto her daughter-in-law Wang Yanji, sobbing uncontrollably.

"I'll say it again," Lou Ben said calmly, "If you want to convict me, you can't rely solely on conjecture. Show me the evidence!"

Ling Buyi replied, "The reason I came to the Lou residence today is to grant your wish."

Lou Ben's face twitched. "I'm all ears."

"You acted swiftly—almost everyone involved in the incident was silenced, even Ma Rong eventually..."

"Oh, so now Ma Rong was also killed by me?"

"You didn’t originally intend to kill Ma Rong, but since Wan Songbai couldn’t be eliminated, Ma Rong had to die instead."

Lou Ben smirked coldly but offered no further comment.

Ling Buyi continued, "I thought to myself—if even the wife of a low-ranking official knew to leave behind some clues as a precaution, surely Ma Rong wouldn’t have been completely unprepared. After all, your alliance was merely one of convenience—how could there have been true trust between you? Moreover, having witnessed the brutal deaths of Yan Zhong and his entire family, who had placed their absolute faith in you, I refuse to believe Ma Rong remained unmoved! So I traced Ma Rong’s movements—and discovered that after tricking open Copper Bull County City, he never returned home. First, he garrisoned the city, then was 'persuaded' to surrender, and afterward served under Cui Hou. If he had hidden something, where would it be?"

A flash of insight struck Shao Shang, and she blurted out: "Copper Bull County?!"

Ling Buyi glanced at the girl. "Correct—Copper Bull County. There, Ma Rong not only stayed for nearly a month but also spent his days wandering the streets under the pretense of 'inspecting the people’s hardships.'"

Yuan Shen, now engrossed, couldn’t help but ask, "Where exactly did you end up finding 'those things'?"

Ling Buyi answered, "Ma Rong had traversed almost the entire county. Searching every possible location would have taken weeks. But Ma Rong was just a military man—not meticulous enough for that..." He smiled faintly and looked at Lou Ben. "In the northern part of Copper Bull County lies the Ox Head Ward, where there’s a tavern called 'Male and Female.'"

While Shao Shang was still tracing the characters in her palm, Lou Taipu and Yuan Shen immediately grasped the implication, their gazes locking onto Lou Ben—Ox Head + Male and Female = Three Bulls.Lou Ben began to lose his composure.

Ling Buyi continued, "In that very tavern, my men discovered traces of drilling on the wall of one of the private rooms. Upon digging it open, they found a large bundle of bamboo scrolls—inside were all the letters you had written to Magistrate Yan Zhong over these past days. From your initial acquaintance, to arranging meetings, inciting Yan Zhong to relocate his elderly mother and young child, even down to the agreed time and place... everything was there. I suspect you instructed Ma Rong to destroy these letters after he entered the city, but he kept them instead."

Shao Shang thought to herself that while investigating Li Feng’s wife, Ling Buyi had probably looked into Ma Rong as well.

Lou Ben forced himself to remain calm. "Oh? Are you certain they were written by me? Zisheng, perhaps you’ve mistaken someone else’s hand for mine."

Ling Buyi replied, "Those letters bore no names, only a small Water Chestnut Flower Mirror drawn at the end of each."

Wang Yanji cast a bewildered glance at her husband.

"Not only that," Ling Buyi added, "I once saw the local chronicles Lou Ziwei submitted before His Majesty’s imperial desk. The handwriting there did not match the letters."

A hint of color returned to Lou Ben’s face as he smiled. "Since there are no names and the handwriting differs, how can you prove those letters were written by me to Magistrate Yan?"

"Precisely because of that, I kept those letters concealed," Ling Buyi said. "But then I remembered Yuan Shen. His Majesty has praised Yuan Shen to me several times for his mastery of calligraphy, capable of writing in multiple styles—so I thought, since Ziwei and Yuan Shen studied under the same teacher, if Yuan Shen possesses such skill, then Ziwei must be no less proficient."

"However, Teacher Ouyang had long since wandered the world, and who knows when he might return? Moreover, Teacher Ouyang is famously carefree—not only would he discard his disciples’ writings, but even his own manuscripts were often lost as soon as he wrote them. This truly stumped me..."

Yuan Shen gave a faint smirk. "No matter. You have me here."

Ling Buyi smiled at him. "Though Yuan Shen is young, he is naturally meticulous. Every bamboo scroll or silk bestowed by His Majesty, he carefully preserves in perfect order. I wondered whether Teacher Ouyang might have entrusted his writings to him before leaving..."

Yuan Shen’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. "The teacher didn’t entrust them to me. I took it upon myself to collect all the bamboo scrolls he left scattered everywhere, dried them, and stored them properly under oilcloth."

From his tone, Shao Shang sensed profound exasperation.

"Yuan Shen and I spent several days searching through the Yuan residence, and finally, we found the poems, essays, and miscellaneous writings you composed for your teacher and classmates before the age of twenty—each in a different calligraphic style. Among them was handwriting identical to that in the letters to Yan Zhong! Even His Majesty found it hard to believe at first, so he summoned several renowned calligraphers to examine them. All concluded, 'Though the maturity of the strokes differs, they are undoubtedly written by the same hand.' Lou Ziwei, when experts speak, there can be no mistake. Now, what do you have to say for yourself?" Ling Buyi rested one hand on the table, his presence towering and imposing.Lou Taipu trembled as he collapsed onto the floor. Madam Lou (second) covered her face and wept mournfully, while Madam Lou (eldest) stepped forward and sneered, "I thought you had accomplished great deeds outside, strutting around the house these past two days with such arrogance. But it turns out you were engaged in such disgraceful acts! Nephew, if you lack talent, then so be it. Why not follow your cousin's example and live a peaceful life? Why must you harm others and yourself? Now that you've committed such a grave crime, don't drag the entire family down with you..."

Shao Shang couldn't bear to listen any longer and was about to retort when Wang Yanji, her skirts fluttering, strode up to Madam Lou (eldest) and delivered a resounding slap across her face. Everyone was stunned. Madam Lou (eldest) fell to the ground, one hand propping herself up while the other clutched her cheek, both shocked and furious. "You... you dare...?!"

Wang Yanji pulled a golden hairpin from her hair and thrust it into the floor with a sharp motion, snarling, "If you dare say another word, I'll make sure your blood splatters within five paces!"

Madam Lou (eldest) was terrified by the look in her eyes. The others followed her gaze and saw the golden hairpin embedded in the floor between Madam Lou's fingers—just a hair's breadth from piercing her palm.

Lou Taipu stood up and stamped his foot. "Shut your mouth! Not another word!"

Wang Yanji stared blankly at her husband. "Is... is this all true...?"

Lou Ben gave a bitter smile. "Yes, it's all true."

Tears streamed down Wang Yanji's face. "Why would you do such a thing? Was there no other way to achieve merit?!"

"For Father's grievances, for our future, for my own ambitions..." Lou Ben said. "At this point, I have no face left to see you. Go back to your family. You're still young—remarrying is not too late."

Wang Yanji's voice was hoarse. "Saying such things now—are you trying to kill me?! But don't worry, I will remarry. I would never waste my life for you!"

Lou Ben smiled at his wife, then turned away. "Zisheng, do you know? Everyone wishes to be born in peaceful times, but I have always regretted not being born decades earlier."

Ling Buyi said, "During Emperor Li's tyranny, heroes rose, and brilliant generals emerged. If you had lived in those times, Ziwei, you could have turned the world upside down, shaped the land, and achieved great deeds."

Lou Ben cupped his hands and laughed. "Well said, Zisheng. I thank you now for understanding me."

Ling Buyi replied, "I know your ambitions, Ziwei. But progressing step by step, accumulating official rank, and gradually becoming a pillar of the state is also a viable path."

Shao Shang almost interjected that her Third Uncle had started as a county magistrate's assistant and only this year was promoted to magistrate—wasn't that perfectly fine?

Lou Ben smirked arrogantly. "I was born with this temperament—I cannot bear to be subordinate to others. To start as a low-ranking official, grinding away my ambitions with insincere flattery and meaningless social maneuvering... I would rather never set foot in the court at all."

Shao Shang: Third Uncle takes a hit in the basement—so even a county magistrate's assistant counts as a low-ranking official.

"So you slaughtered Yan Zhong's entire family to use as stepping stones for your political ascent!" Ling Buyi's tone grew increasingly stern.

Lou Ben shook his head. "Cui Hou is cautious. How could a mere commoner like me presume to advise him on military and state affairs? If I boldly went to offer strategies, who would listen? Who would be convinced? I needed some leverage to make people take me seriously."Lou Taipu, tears streaming down his aged face, clutched his nephew’s sleeve: “Ziwei, why must you resort to such despicable means? Our Lou Family is not without reputation. You could have taken your time…”

“Uncle, spare me the pretense.” Lou Ben interrupted with a mocking laugh. “Everyone praises Lou Taipu for his honesty and kindness, but which member of our family doesn’t know your petty calculations?”

Lou Taipu choked on his words.

“Speaking of which, I should thank Zisheng,” Lou Ben continued, turning to Ling Buyi. “Years ago, Zisheng once recommended me before the Eastern Palace. I heard he told the Crown Prince—‘Lou Ziwei is a man of great talent in governance and administration. It’s a waste to leave him in the Scripture Discussion Institute copying texts. He should be given a chance to prove himself.’”

Ling Buyi said quietly, “I only recognized your talent, not your character.”

Lou Ben replied, “Thus, though I’ve never had a deep conversation with Zisheng, I’ve long considered him a kindred spirit in my heart.”

Shao Shang thought to herself: The last person who considered you a kindred spirit—Magistrate Yan—ended up with his entire family wiped out. Seems best not to be your kindred spirit.

“Unfortunately, the Crown Prince didn’t heed Zisheng’s advice. Do you know why, Zisheng?” Lou Ben asked.

Shao Shang’s curiosity was piqued.

Lou Ben glanced at Lou Taipu and said with a scornful smile, “Because my dear uncle humbly declined the Crown Prince’s recommendation on my behalf, saying I was still too young and should travel more, gain more experience before taking on responsibilities.”

Lou Taipu sighed with deep regret, “...It was all my fault. I listened to your aunt…”

“Stop blaming Aunt.”

Lou Ben said coldly, “A real man doesn’t shift every fault onto women! If you had truly wanted to recommend me for office, could Aunt have devoured you? In truth, you secretly hoped your own sons would rise to prominence. Pity that all my cousins are fools. After your dispute with my father, you feared that if I rose, I would overshadow your sons. So you blocked my path at every turn, didn’t you?!”

Lou Taipu’s face flushed crimson, stammering, “Y-you… how dare you slander—”

Ignoring him, Lou Ben slowly walked to the window, where a sword adorned with a gem-studded Jade Pendant hung on the wall.

He sighed deeply, “All these years, I’ve traveled far and wide, yet His Majesty only praises my literary talent and scholarship, unaware that my ambition is to move mountains and stars like pieces on a board. The Crown Prince heeds my uncle’s every word. With no path forward and enemies at my back, I watch as my junior Yuan, merely twenty-one this year, has already secured a place in the Department of State Affairs, while I remain adrift.”

“An eagle cannot soar under low eaves; a roc cannot swim in shallow waters. Since youth, I aspired to stand at the heart of power, yet here I am. Ah… such is fate…” He turned and smiled gently at his wife, “A-Yan, it seems I cannot accompany you to the Eastern Sea in search of Penglai Fairyland after all…”

Ling Buyi’s heart lurched, and he shouted sharply, “Stop!”

But it was too late. In a flash of steel, Lou Ben drew the sword from the wall and slashed it across his own throat.

Lou Taipu and Madam Lou (second) screamed in horror. Wang Yanji lunged forward like a madwoman, only to find her husband’s throat already gushing blood, his breath gone.

…Three days later, the Emperor first imprisoned Peng Zhen and his faction, planning to execute them on a suitable day in the future. At the same time, rewards were distributed for the contributions made during the Shouchun campaign. Thanks to the excellent arrangements by the "Nanny Cui," apart from a few young heroes who truly stood out, most rewards were allocated based on the severity of injuries. Almost everyone was satisfied, including Xiao Hou Ban, who only handled clerical work—he too received rewards and an official rank.

Only the Lou Family was an exception.

Lou Ziwei, who had made the greatest contributions in this battle, suddenly committed suicide. Meanwhile, the Emperor exiled the Lou County Magistrate and his several sons a thousand miles away, dismissed all members of the Lou clan from their official positions, and ordered the eldest uncle of the Lou Family to immediately take his entire household back to their ancestral home to reflect on their mistakes in seclusion.

—Though no specific crimes were named, many seasoned officials in the court already had their suspicions.

The sole exception was Lou Yao.

It was said that just one day before the Emperor was to pass judgment on the Lou Family, several of General He’s former comrades suddenly requested an audience with the Emperor. With tears streaming down their faces, they pleaded with the Emperor to show mercy for the sake of the He family, now left with only widows and orphans.

The Emperor was a man who cherished old sentiments. Considering that Lou Yao had been completely unaware of his elder brother's misdeeds, if Lou Yao were not pardoned, would He Zhaojun have to remarry or follow him into exile to endure hardship? And who would care for and raise the young He children in the future?

After gnashing his teeth in dilemma for a long while, the Emperor finally gestured for Lou Yao to rise. Not only was Lou Yao spared from exile, but he was also appointed as a county magistrate in a small district, with the remaining He clan members permitted to accompany him.

The day was windless and snowless, a rare clear and fine weather since the depths of winter.

As usual, Shao Shang was sent by the Empress to deliver an imperial edict (a written report from the Empress to the Emperor) to the Emperor. Then, she was pulled by Ling Buyi to stand under the corridor to bask in the sun. Before long, Yuan Shen also arrived. It was unclear who started the conversation, but the three of them couldn’t help but discuss Lou Ben.

"Young Master Ziwei is truly a pity. In terms of talent alone, no one in our school could surpass him," Yuan Shen sighed. "A momentary lapse led to eternal ruin. Now his entire family is implicated, and his wife has returned to her maiden home. What was it all for?"

"Not that impressive, really. The scheme he meticulously planned was uncovered by us in just a few days," Shao Shang remarked dismissively.

Ling Buyi raised his elegant eyebrows: "You figured it out too?"

Shao Shang rolled her eyes at him.

Yuan Shen said, "If Prefect Wan hadn’t coincidentally intervened, Lou Ziwei’s plan would have succeeded."

"This is called 'the net of Heaven has large meshes, but it lets nothing through'!" Shao Shang declared. "There are bottom lines in everything, and Lou Ziwei crossed them!"

Ling Buyi remarked with a hint of sarcasm, "So Cheng Niangzi is such a staunch enemy of evil."

Shao Shang rolled her eyes at him again.

"Who doesn’t desire fame and fortune? But a gentleman should acquire wealth through righteous means!" Shao Shang said indignantly. "Eagles and rocs—who doesn’t want to soar to the skies in one leap? But you can’t become fat in one bite; you have to take it step by step! But him? He thought the sun, moon, and stars should revolve around him, demanding to be appointed as one of the Three Dukes right away? How could it be that easy? Is Your Majesty his father? Oh, even a father wouldn’t indulge him like that. Just because things didn’t go his way, he could indiscriminately kill the innocent? Hah! That excuse is neither original nor refined! Take Young Master Yuan, for example. Is the Yuan Family’s status inferior to the Lou Family’s? Yet Young Master Yuan started from the Scripture Discussion Platform at fifteen, working diligently step by step, and now he’s favored by His Majesty and selected into the Department of State Affairs, able to participate in state affairs—did all this fall from the sky?"

Hearing the girl’s effusive praise, Yuan Shen glanced at Ling Buyi’s face, which looked as if it had been slashed, and couldn’t help but turn away, laughing heartily.

"Ah, by the way," Shao Shang paused her impassioned speech and turned her head. "Young Master Yuan, didn’t you say last time that your marriage prospects had narrowed down to five and then three? How’s it going now?"

Yuan Shen froze like a rooster with its neck wrung, his laughter abruptly ceasing. Now it was Ling Buyi’s turn to burst into a string of laughter, equally hearty.

"No need for Shao Shang Jun’s concern. It’s now three down to two!" Yuan Shen stiffened his face, flicked his sleeves, and strode away indignantly.

Shao Shang called after his retreating figure, "Young Master Shanjian, keep at it! Next time it’ll be down to two, and then you can host a wedding banquet!"

Yuan Shen stumbled slightly but continued walking as if nothing had happened.

Seeing that the corridor was now empty, Shao Shang quickly tugged at Ling Buyi’s sleeve. "Stop laughing, stop it now! This is where His Majesty conducts official business. If you laugh so loudly, beware of the censors impeaching you for impropriety!"Ling Buyi finally managed to stop laughing, though his shoulders still trembled slightly.

Shao Shang said, "Because I've always been harsh with Yuan Shen, you've been relatively polite to him. But with A Yao, it's the opposite, isn't it?"

Ling Buyi shot her a reproachful glance. "I haven't even settled accounts with you yet, and here you are questioning me first. Where did you go the other day? Did you seek out He Zhaojun?"

Leaning against the railing, Shao Shang sighed. "At the time, I saw that the Lou Family couldn't be saved. Even the lightest punishment of exile would be fatal, but A Yao is truly innocent. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing, so I went to find He Zhaojun."

Ling Buyi remarked, "So that's why they managed to plead before His Majesty so promptly. It was you."

Shao Shang spread her hands helplessly. "What else could I do? The He Family's old allies aren't always in the Capital City. His Majesty was in a towering rage at the time. If we'd waited for him to issue the Imperial Edict of punishment, it would've been too late. I had to ask He Zhaojun to gather her uncles and elders from nearby counties beforehand to plead for mercy early."

Ling Buyi sneered. "You pretended to be skeptical back then, yet turned around and had He Zhaojun call for reinforcements. You two-faced little rascal!"

After a moment's thought, Shao Shang said, "I really was skeptical at the time. How could I condemn someone without evidence? You hadn't shown me Lou Ben's letters then. But..." She sighed. "I thought I should trust you. You rarely act without certainty."

Ling Buyi gave a soft humph and turned away, though the corner of his mouth quirked slightly.

"In a few days, I'll be seeing A Yao and He Zhaojun off. To avoid you giving me the cold shoulder then, it's better we clear some things up now." Shao Shang moved to stand in front of Ling Buyi, meeting his gaze directly.

"Third Brother said the reason you hold such a grudge against A Yao is that if we disregard things like the Emperor's orders or parental commands, and simply let me choose between you and A Yao... I'd most likely choose A Yao. I think... well, he's not wrong."

Furious, Ling Buyi turned to leave, but the girl clung stubbornly to his sleeve—"But that was before!" she cried.

Ling Buyi stopped but didn't turn back.

"Back then, I wasn't close to you. You were like a fierce tiger ready to devour people, always so domineering and intimidating. A Yao was honest and obedient, agreeing to whatever I said. Of course I'd choose him!" Shao Shang murmured.

Ling Buyi turned his face back to her and snorted softly through his nose. "And now?"

"Now?" Shao Shang hurried to say, "Isn't it obvious! If you and A Yao were both placed on a dining table, even if A Yao was roasted to perfection, dripping with delicious juices, while you were still a raw piece of meat, I'd still only take a bite out of you!" She couldn't resist borrowing her shaman brother's colorful phrasing.

Ling Buyi couldn't help but laugh, gently ruffling her hair. "Always knowing just what to say to coax me!" His joy shone in his eyes, bright as stars in a clear night sky.

After leaning against him for a while, Shao Shang's fingers brushed against the strange metal threads wrapped around his wrist. "What are these anyway? Not rope or silk thread. Why do you have them tucked in your sleeve?"

Ling Buyi abruptly pushed her away, standing with his back to her, his handsome face inexplicably flushing. After a long pause, he murmured as if to himself, "You probably never realized... I've been thinking of you all along."Author's Note: Most laws of the Western Han and Eastern Han dynasties were inherited from one another, but there was a qualitative difference in the severity of punishments. The Western Han often "wiped out entire families," while the Eastern Han rarely did so.

While reading Eastern Han history, I often found myself puzzled: "Huh? Didn’t the X family get exterminated before? How are they back?" Classic examples include the Dou family, the Liang family, the Deng family, and even the Ban family...

For instance, the Dou family was purged after the death of Empress Dou Zhangde, so how did Empress Dou Miao of Emperor Huan’s reign later emerge? Similarly, the Deng family was purged after Deng Sui’s death, so how did the Deng Mengnü family reappear later?

Take the case of the Yin family’s imperial son-in-law—he stabbed the princess to death, yet only his parents and elder brother were executed, while other prominent members of the Yin family remained unharmed. Likewise, when Ban Chao’s grandson killed a princess, only the son-in-law’s immediate family was punished, while the rest of the Ban clan escaped major consequences.

Later, I learned that the Eastern Han imperial family was relatively lenient toward these aristocratic families. Except for the Liang family, which was completely purged after the domineering general Liang Ji crossed the line by poisoning the child emperor, most other noble families that lost political struggles only had their main branches executed, while collateral branches merely suffered demotions. In simple terms, direct relatives like fathers, brothers, and sons were implicated, but uncles and cousins were often spared.

To put it plainly, being a powerful aristocratic family during the Eastern Han was quite comfortable. As long as you avoided becoming imperial in-laws, steered clear of the two partisan prohibitions, and survived the chaos of the late Eastern Han, most families established in the early Eastern Han could persist until the Three Kingdoms era. And then, you’d eventually run into the Sima family and their sons.