Though Shao Shang could now come and go as she pleased, opening the main gates in the middle of the night still startled Old Man Cheng and Madam Xiao. The couple hastily threw on their robes and rushed out, only to see their daughter already dressed and ready to depart.
Her black outer robe was embroidered with silver threads depicting contrasting ink-wash flowers and birds. Her slender waist was tightly cinched, her wrists secured with leather guards, and she wore a pair of straight, gleaming boots. Her thick, lush hair was pulled into a smooth high bun, with only a few silver clasps hidden within the strands—no other adornments. The girl appeared cold, solemn, and carried an undercurrent of chilling resolve.
Madam Xiao grew increasingly alarmed the longer she looked. Even when her daughter traveled far, she had never dressed so formally.
"Where are you going?! You're getting married in three days—what nonsense is this, in the middle of the night... and with the curfew in place!" Cheng Shi shouted in panic as he saw his daughter leading the eight guards given to her by the Empress straight toward the main gate.
Shao Shang turned back with a faint smile. "My apologies for disturbing Father and Mother. It's nothing serious—I just have some business to attend to outside. Please go back to sleep..."
Old Man Cheng's forehead veins bulged in agitation as he struggled to slip his arms into his sleeves. "How can we sleep after this commotion?! Who are you trying to fool—"
"Has something happened to Ling Buyi?" Madam Xiao suddenly interjected.
Shao Shang's gaze snapped back, a hint of admiration curling at her lips. Before she could answer, a servant from the Cheng Residence hurried over and knelt before her. "Reporting to Young Lady, this humble servant went to Chengyang Hou's residence. After knocking for a long time, an old servant finally answered and said the entire Ling household left for their Secluded Residence outside the city yesterday, supposedly to prepare for Ling Hou's fiftieth birthday celebration."
Shao Shang narrowed her eyes. "Just as I thought."
"...So it really is about Ling Buyi?"
Madam Xiao staggered, and Cheng Shi quickly steadied his wife. The couple exchanged a glance, both recalling the palace banquet two months prior during the Lantern Festival.
At noon that day, Shao Shang and Ling Buyi had stood on either side of the Emperor and Empress. Under the sunlight, the former stood beneath the eaves while the latter stepped onto the palace steps. Though the girl stood in cool shadows, she radiated vitality; meanwhile, the young man, though bathed in sunlight and surrounded by admirers—seemingly at the height of glory—exuded an inexplicable aura of gloom and detachment.
Madam Xiao had felt uneasy without reason and later asked her husband, "Have I ever truly misjudged someone?"
Cheng Shi flattered his wife: "Even with that traitor Chen back then, you were only briefly deceived before sensing something amiss, allowing us to escape in time. It was the same with Niao Niao—you were initially biased, but didn't you grow to appreciate her more later?"
Madam Xiao muttered, "What if there's someone I didn't think much of at first, but grew increasingly uneasy about over time?"
Cheng Shi said, "The longer you observe someone, the more accurate your judgment becomes. There are no exceptions."
Madam Xiao replied, "I wish there were. Because this time, I sense something wrong with Ling Zisheng."
After lengthy discussions, the couple decided to let it go. After all, he was the Emperor's foster son, a powerful young minister, and their future son-in-law. They couldn't possibly raise objections based solely on Madam Xiao's intuition. And yet—
Shao Shang bowed respectfully to her parents. "Please rest, Father and Mother. The Capital City should be safe, but Mother, please keep the gates guarded as a precaution. I must take my leave now... I'll return soon."Madam Xiao stepped forward and shouted sharply, "You are not allowed to go out! If there's any issue with Ling Zisheng, just send someone to inform the palace. Why must you go yourself? Do you still want to leave the city? What if something happens? Besides, you won't even be able to get past the city gates!"
Shao Shang paused in her steps and turned to look at her birth mother, enunciating each word clearly, "Mother, rest assured. I've already reported what needs to be reported. But tonight, I am still going out, and you cannot stop me."
Madam Xiao stamped her foot in fury and yelled, "Someone! Seize the Young Lady—"
At that moment, the half-opened gates of the Cheng Residence were forcefully pushed open. A stream of golden-armored guards, cloaked with the insignia of the Everlasting Autumn Palace, poured into the Cheng family estate. Leading them was a young commander with twin phoenixes spreading their wings on his golden helmet. He knelt halfway before Shao Shang, clasping his fists and said, "Your subordinate has received orders to come and is at Cheng Niangzi's disposal."
Surrounded by the guards, Shao Shang slowly took a step toward Madam Xiao and said indifferently, "Her Majesty long ago entrusted me with all manner of command tokens—allowing me to enter the palace gates at night, pass unimpeded anywhere, and even command the guards of the Everlasting Autumn Palace. I've just never used them before, and few knew of it." This was the precedent set when the Empress acted as regent during the Emperor's campaigns abroad.
The Cheng family servants, who had been about to seize Shao Shang, hesitated and turned back, looking to their Female Lord for instructions.
Madam Xiao felt her limbs turn cold and shouted in distress, "Niao Niao, don't go! Whatever the matter, the Emperor and Empress will handle it. You—you—"
Shao Shang raised her head to look at her birth mother. The usually immaculately dressed and composed woman now appeared flustered and disheveled. Though her heart ached, Shao Shang lifted her chin proudly and declared, "Mother, don't you think it's too late to control me now? You didn't control me back then, and now, you can't control me anymore. ... Let's go!"
Cheng Shi stamped his foot in anger but could only support his trembling wife as he watched helplessly while his daughter left through the gates with the golden-armored guards. Furious yet helpless, he had to dispatch half of their household troops and four martial maids to follow her.
...
At the city gates, the guarding captain looked at Shao Shang with a mix of surprise and wariness. Fortunately, she was leading a group of fully armed guards out of the city, not into it, so the captain ultimately allowed them to pass as per orders.
The dappled pony, once plump and clumsy, had now grown into a long-legged, swift steed. Riding atop the saddle, Shao Shang felt the chilly early spring wind whistle past her ears. Around her were the martial maids sent by Old Man Cheng to catch up, and the thunderous hoofbeats of the Empress's Guard—a familiar sound that had always brought her comfort, for she knew that no matter what trouble she faced, someone would always arrive with heavenly troops to rescue her from peril.
But now... She needed to ask in person, to give herself an answer for her consistently unfortunate life.
The silver clasps of her cloak jingled softly against her chest. Shao Shang snapped out of her thoughts as flickering lights appeared ahead, moving and converging into two long chains like fiery serpents coiling across the cold, open plains, accompanied by the same thunderous hoofbeats.
Shao Shang signaled, and the guard leader immediately urged his men forward, shouting, "We are the guards of the Everlasting Autumn Palace! Who are you, and why do you ride outside the city so late at night?"From the opposing army, two riders galloped out and loudly replied, "We are the garrison troops from Chisufeng Pass, ordered to transfer to Zhenyang Garrison!"
After the guards finished their inquiries and returned to the formation, Shao Shang instructed the leader to command everyone to continue galloping. However, not long after, they encountered another group of soldiers. Upon questioning, they learned these troops were from the Beishengshan Camp, also ordered to march toward the imperial gardens west of the Capital City.
As they pressed forward, Shao Shang's group came across two more contingents of troops moving at night. Among them happened to be a unit from Zhenyang Garrison being reassigned elsewhere. Even the guard captain found this odd. Slowing his horse, he tentatively asked, "Might I ask, Cheng Niangzi, why there are so many troop transfer orders tonight?"
Shao Shang replied, "In your opinion, Captain, what might these orders signify?"
The guard captain scratched his head. "These are all small garrisons, with numbers ranging from a thousand at most to just three or five hundred. From what we've heard, they're not all being sent to the same location but are being shuffled around—east to west, west to east. I truly can't discern any purpose behind it."
A cold smile played on Shao Shang's lips. "Having no purpose is a purpose in itself."
The guard captain was puzzled. "Then should we... continue...?"
Shao Shang decisively waved her hand. "Ignore it. We press on. How much farther to the Liang Family's Secluded Residence?"
The guard captain dared not underestimate the young woman before him. Though youthful and female, she carried an air of resolute determination. After a quick calculation, he answered, "Not far now. Half an hour more."
After nearly an hour and a half of jolting on horseback, Shao Shang felt every bone in her body aching as if she had been squeezed through the birth canal into this strange and perilous world all over again. Yet she gritted her teeth and made no complaint—Was this why people came into the world? To endure suffering and deceit time and again? Then why bother making the journey at all?
Tears welled in her eyes, but she silently wiped them away.
In the distance, the Liang Family's Secluded Residence at the foot of the mountain was already engulfed in flames, mingled with screams and shouts. The raging fire stood out starkly against the pitch-black night—some were buildings ablaze, burning fiercely in the howling wind, while more were torches held high by soldiers reeking of blood, encircling the Liang family like a perilous sea of stars.
The guards riding alongside Shao Shang were stunned, exclaiming in shock: "What's happening?" "Who would dare attack the residence of a noble family?" "This doesn't look like bandits—more like imperial troops!" "Good heavens, could the Liang family be rebelling, and the court sent troops to suppress them?" "Should we intervene or not?"
Among them, only Shao Shang remained expressionless, calmly riding down the slope toward the chaos.
The soldiers surrounding the residence spotted the approaching riders and immediately moved to block their path. Shao Shang signaled her guards to step aside and rode forward alone, directly asking, "Who leads you? Zhang Shan? Li Si? Or perhaps the Liang brothers?"
These were Ling Buyi's private soldiers. The moment they saw Shao Shang's face, they froze—thanks to her inseparable companionship with Ling Buyi over the past year, countless soldiers had seen her face.
"No need to trouble yourselves. I've only brought a few dozen Everlasting Autumn Palace guards—hardly a threat," Shao Shang said coolly. "Just send someone to guide me to Ling Buyi. These guards will wait on the outskirts."The guard captain grew nervous. "Lady Cheng, how can we let you go in alone? The Empress would never forgive us if she found out!"
Shao Shang waved her hand to stop him. "I'll be fine. Her Majesty knows my temperament. She won't blame you."
After a brief whispered discussion, the soldiers decided to let her enter—everyone in the Capital City knew of Ling Buyi's deep affection for his betrothed. Offending the young Lady Cheng would bring worse consequences than offending Ling Buyi himself.
Dismounting, Shao Shang left the Empress's Guard behind and entered with only four Martial Maids.
The vast Secluded Residence was now divided into eastern and western halves. The eastern side seemed to have been cleared, with torches held high and guards searching every corner for stragglers. From the western side, the sounds of battle still echoed—resistance continued.
Corpses lay strewn across the ground, their bloodied, contorted faces nightmarish in their horror. Shao Shang stepped over them without a word.
Though often scorned by high-ranking officials like Cui Hou, Ling Yi had risen through military merit and campaigned for years. His family generals and Household troops were battle-hardened. Taking this residence must have been a brutal fight.
Passing through gate after gate and courtyard after courtyard, Shao Shang finally reached a solemn, imposing main hall. There, Liang Qiuqi knelt before Ling Buyi, reporting, "...Just as you predicted, Young Master, these rows of houses not only had hidden chambers but also two tunnels leading to the mountains. If not for your foresight, the traitor would have escaped!"
Sensing someone behind him, Ling Buyi turned slowly. Seeing Shao Shang, he showed no surprise but instead smiled gently, his tone soft. "Shao Shang, why are you here? This is no place for you. Go back first. I'll come find you later."
—Just like the many times the girl had slipped out of the Everlasting Autumn Palace at noon to seek him at the Southern Palace council hall.
Shao Shang's throat felt dry, rendering her momentarily speechless.
Then Liang Qiu Fei arrived with several guards firmly escorting a prisoner—a fair-skinned, refined middle-aged man: Ling Yi. But now, disheveled and ragged, he bore none of his usual elegance.
At the sight of Ling Buyi, Ling Yi struggled and shouted, "Zisheng! Zisheng, have you lost your mind? Attacking your own father!"
Ignoring him, Ling Buyi kept his gaze on Shao Shang. "Let me have someone escort you back first."
Liang Qiu Fei kicked Ling Yi to the ground, pressing multiple blades against his vital points. Ling Yi wailed, crying out, "A-Li! A-Li, I am your father! I know you resent your mother's death, but we are father and son! Blood is thicker than water! You cannot commit patricide for your mother's sake! A-Li, wake up! Don't be foolish! No matter how much His Majesty dotes on you, patricide is an unforgivable crime—punishable by a thousand cuts! How can you escape this...?"
Shao Shang stared into Ling Buyi's beautiful amber eyes and asked with difficulty, "I just want to ask one question—one you've owed me for a long time."
Ling Buyi replied softly, "Ask."
"Who are you, really? Ling Buyi... or Huo Wushang?" The words left her body aching.Ling Buyi gazed deeply at the girl, as if beholding a beautiful dream far beyond reach. After a long silence, he slowly turned to Ling Yi on the ground and said, "Uncle, A-Li has been dead for a long time."
Ling Yi stopped struggling, his face blank with incomprehension.
Ling Buyi's tone remained gentle, yet grew increasingly chilling: "A-Li was wearing my clothes when he was impaled by a sharp spear, then lifted high and displayed atop the city walls. Uncle, have you forgotten?"
Ling Yi's mouth fell open, his entire body struck as if by lightning.
Something cracked open in Shao Shang's chest, and an unnameable emotion began seeping out.
As her vision blurred, she noticed he was wearing the exact same robes from their first meeting at the Wan residence—magnificent brocade red as fresh blood, embroidered with Prison Ox patterns in dark golden thread, draped with a deep crimson wide-sleeved outer robe, gold-threaded belt and vermilion gold crown.
The night wind howled, whipping about his crimson-clad figure like a field of spider lilies blooming along the road to the underworld, an overwhelming tide of blood-red spreading endlessly. In this moment, his beauty was breathtaking, yet his unfamiliarity struck terror into the heart.
Author's note: Everyone's guesses are so creative and varied! But please maintain some basic logic—the Emperor really isn't the villain here~!
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