Love Like the Galaxy

Until she was carried onto the spacious ammunition wagon, Shao Shang remained bewildered by the events of the past two days.

That evening when she returned home from the Yin residence, two stern-faced martial maids summoned her to Nine Dapple Hall. Inside, giant candles burned brightly, and Madam Xiao stood alone in the center, her face as cold as frost. Shao Shang immediately knew—her scheme had been discovered. When she had set the trap, she had considered the possibility of being found out, but she hadn't expected it to happen so soon. Thus, when faced with Madam Xiao's accusations, she admitted it outright.

"There's no particular reason. I just wanted to vent my anger," Shao Shang said coldly, showing no remorse.

Madam Xiao, of course, launched into a fierce reprimand, quoting ancient texts and moral principles. Shao Shang couldn't be bothered to argue. Once the verbal scolding ended, it was time for the legendary 'Family Law.' Madam Xiao had clearly come prepared, and all potential rescuers seemed to be absent from the estate. Sensing trouble, Shao Shang, stubborn as ever, accepted her punishment without a word.

It wasn't until four martial maids pinned her down on a long rectangular table that Shao Shang began to panic. When she saw the grim, terrifying old man approaching with a rod, beads of sweat formed on her forehead—though she had grown up without parental warmth and endured constant cold looks and prejudice, she had never suffered physical pain before!

Seeing that Director Xiao was clearly intent on making this a severe punishment, Shao Shang wanted to beg for mercy but found herself unable to speak.

When the first strike landed heavily on her body, Shao Shang's breath stopped. The pain in her thighs and buttocks was like a spark igniting a parched field of grass, spreading rapidly through her entire body like an explosion of flames. She wanted to scream, but all that escaped her throat was a hoarse gasp, like a fish being scaled alive, barely able to suck in ragged breaths.

To prevent herself from uttering humiliating pleas for mercy, Shao Shang clenched her teeth, refusing to open her mouth even when the pain became suffocating. As for why she didn't beg—today, Director Xiao didn't seem as furious as usual. Shao Shang even felt that if she pleaded, she might have been spared this ordeal. But she refused! She would rather die than yield!

Back in elementary school, there had been a kind, elderly homeroom teacher who had treated her well. The teacher once told her grandmother, "Ling Nian is so stubborn and tough. It's bad in some ways, but it's also good. Once she decides to study seriously, she’ll put in relentless effort."

Unfortunately, the teacher soon retired. After that, Shao Shang never encountered another teacher like her. Later, any kindness from teachers only came after her grades had risen to the top.

She couldn't remember how many strikes she endured. Her mouth tasted of bitter iron, her body numb from pain, though the bite marks on her lips stung more sharply. Dizzy and disoriented, she was carried back to her quarters, where she heard A Zhu's cries and sobs. For some reason, her heart lightened, and then she knew nothing more.

In her semi-conscious state, she felt a cooling sensation on her wounds—they must have been treated with medicine. A warm, soft hand gently caressed her, from her hair to her face, then to her injuries. The skin of that hand was delicate, unlike A Zhu's calloused palms. Half-delirious, Shao Shang thought it must be Sang Shi.When she woke again, the sky was pitch black, though whether it was the middle of the night or nearing dawn was unclear. Shao Shang was startled by a large, dark, fuzzy figure by her bedside emitting muffled sobs, like the sound of a battered gong swaying in the night wind—utterly terrifying. But her injuries had dulled even her reactions to fright, leaving her too weak to scream. She could only stare blankly.

Cheng Shi sat by the bed, weeping loudly, his tall and burly frame shaking with each sob. By the faint glow of embers buried in the fire pit, Shao Shang saw tears and snot clinging to her father’s beard—a rather disgusting sight.

And then she cried.

She hadn’t cried when met with scornful glares, nor when bullied, nor even when enduring the harsh punishment of the rod, gritting her teeth through the pain. But now she wept uncontrollably, like Cheng Xiaoou throwing a tantrum over a stomachache at the kindergarten level.

She had always resented her grandmother for being old and useless—unable to shield her from the storms of the outside world or guide her through life with wisdom, leaving her to face a cruel world alone at such a young age.

She had once worn a black armband to attend a prestigious boarding high school, back when she hadn’t fully grasped the weight of it. But when the principal personally awarded her a certificate at the celebration banquet, and her uncle grinned like a split-open pumpkin, and the townsfolk praised her for being so promising and capable, calling her the pride of the entire town—she suddenly wished her grandmother could have seen it all.

But the old woman had been gone for three years, her grave already overgrown with weeds.

It was then that Shao Shang realized—she truly was alone in this world. "A child’s wish to be filial comes too late when parents are gone"—those seven words were a bloody, merciless truth, leaving no room for regret. Her remorse and gratitude had nowhere to go, forcing her to stiffen her neck and march forward.

Sobbing violently, Shao Shang buried her face in Cheng Shi’s lap, her cries so wrenching it felt as if her heart and lungs might tear out of her chest.

Why had she always been so cautious when following her gang leader? Because no one outside would cover for her mistakes. Why had she dared to argue and even fight with the Yin and Wan families? Because she knew Old Man Cheng would always forgive her and clean up her messes.

She was nothing but a despicable coward who relied on others’ power!

But now she wanted to be good to Cheng Shi, to her brothers, to her uncle and aunt, and to her sisters—to make them proud and happy, rather than constantly worrying about when they’d have to bail her out again.

Father and daughter wept together until the fire in the pit nearly died out, forcing A Zhu to come in and add more charcoal.

From start to finish, Cheng Shi said nothing to Shao Shang. A girl as clever as her—did she really need to be told common wisdom like "don’t take reckless risks" or "don’t make too many enemies"?

After resting for a day, Shao Shang was set to depart with Cheng Zhi and Sang Shi. On the day the Cheng family gathered to see them off, the sky was overcast—no wind, no snow. Madam Xiao didn’t even bother with an excuse for her absence.

Cheng Mu, as usual, clung to her youngest son, wailing and lamenting their separation, while glaring at Sang Shi like a starving wolf guarding its prey, threatening her to take good care of "this old woman’s precious little boy." With the same expression and the same nagging, Cheng Shi repeated to his daughter how to recover from her injuries, how to stay healthy, to eat more meat and vegetables and move around—then repeated the exact same instructions to A Zhu.

Cheng Yang had risen before dawn to personally oversee the kitchen staff, preparing several baskets of snacks for Shao Shang to take on the journey. Meanwhile, Cheng Song and Cheng Shao Gong kept stuffing things—who knew what treats or toys—into Shao Shang’s luggage.Cheng Yong stood silently by the carriage for a long while before approaching. Through the window curtain, he slipped a piece of newly wrapped ink in oilcloth into Shao Shang's hand and whispered, "Keep reading and writing. Don't let your studies go to waste."

Shao Shang propped herself up and poked her head out. Seeing her eldest brother's slightly reddened eyes, she said, "Eldest brother, you shouldn't stay up late reading anymore. Be careful or you'll go bald and nearsighted before thirty!"

Cheng Yong touched the twin buns tied atop his little sister's head and sighed.

After finally managing to extricate themselves from the enthusiastic farewells of Cheng Mu and Cheng Shi, the convoy was at last able to depart. Unfortunately, Shao Shang's injuries still pained her, forcing her to lie still inside the carriage, missing the magnificent sight of looking up at the towering city gate arch as they passed through.

In another ammunition wagon, Cheng Zhi was chatting idly with his wife: "Why didn't Elder Sister Yuan Yi come out today? She would never normally be so impolite."

Sang Shi glared at her husband. "It's perfectly obvious. Why ask?"

Cheng Zhi continued, "Wasn't it agreed she'd receive ten strokes that day? She was still three or four strokes short when Elder Sister threw down the cup to stop it."

Sang Shi's tone didn't change. "It's perfectly obvious. Why ask?"

Cheng Zhi chuckled at his wife's responses. "Do you think we should tell Niao Niao? Otherwise, the rift between her and her mother might grow even wider."

Sang Shi retorted, "How would we say it? 'Niao Niao, your father originally meant to give you ten strokes, but your mother softened and gave you three fewer. Aren't you happy?!'"

Imitating her husband's tone, she rolled her eyes after speaking. "If you really say that, I don't know if it'll help their mother-daughter relationship, but it'll certainly ruin her relationship with her father. And then watch how your elder brother roasts you alive!"

Cheng Zhi smacked his lips. "Fine, we won't tell her then. Later I'll try to persuade Niao Niao not to keep holding grudges against her mother."

Sang Shi's eyes rolled so hard they nearly flew out of her head. "You think you're so important in Niao Niao's heart that she'll listen to you? She only heeds about thirty to forty percent of what your elder brother says!"

She deeply felt her husband had an inflated opinion of himself. "Niao Niao has strong opinions and a stubborn temper. Some things she has to figure out for herself. Save your energy—when we reach our post, find her some delicious food, fun games, or novel curiosities. Leave the rest to me."

Cheng Zhi slumped his shoulders and sighed. "Niao Niao is truly tough. Despite being beaten like that, she didn't make a sound. What a pity she's a girl—if she were a boy, she'd surely accomplish great things!"

After a long silence, Sang Shi said, "That Qian Zeng is truly skilled. I examined Niao Niao's injuries—though covered in bloody marks, the skin wasn't badly broken, and the swelling and bruising weren't deep. So..." She couldn't resist pressing a hand to her husband's back. "Did it really hurt that much?"

Cheng Zhi immediately yelped like a live shrimp, howling in pain.

Protecting his back with one hand, he pointed accusingly at his wife. "You—you heartless woman! You told me to take a stroke from Qian Zeng to see how it felt, and now you treat me like this?!" When the stroke had landed, the pain had nearly numbed half his body.

Sang Shi laughed uncontrollably. "If I hadn't made you take a stroke, just looking at the injuries, how would I know how much pain Niao Niao was in?" When her laughter subsided, she also sighed. "Niao Niao isn't just tough—she's nursing grievances. Don't bother me for a while. I need to properly help her work through this!"

Cheng Zhi was greatly displeased and opened his mouth to protest when suddenly hoofbeats approached outside. A family general reported from beside the carriage: "There's a group chasing us from behind. They say it's the nephew of Grand Tutor Lou Jing—Lou Ji, Governor of Yanzhou's son, named Lou Yao. He requests an audience with you, my lord.""Nephew of Lord Lou?" Cheng Zhi looked utterly bewildered. "What connection does the Lou Family have with us? Did Elder Brother just make their acquaintance? How come I didn't know?"

Sang Shi pondered briefly, then a smile appeared at the corners of her lips.

Cheng Zhi draped his coat over his shoulders and alighted from the carriage, where he saw a team of neatly dressed guards, each mounted on tall, sturdy horses, surrounding a spirited young man waiting not far away.

The moment the young man spotted Cheng Zhi, he immediately dismounted and bowed respectfully: "Youngster Lou Yao pays respects to Uncle Cheng!"

After exchanging pleasantries, Cheng Zhi got straight to the point: "What brings Young Master Lou here today?"

Perhaps due to his galloping ride, Lou Yao was still panting, beads of sweat on his forehead, as he nervously said: "Uncle Cheng, today I... no, I previously had the honor of meeting your niece, Shao Shang Jun, and deeply felt... deeply felt that she... Today I came specifically to see her. Might Uncle permit an audience..."

After much circumlocution without really clarifying anything, the young man's face turned crimson.

"You know our Shao Shang?" Cheng Zhi glanced at the sun, confirming he wasn't dizzy.

Lou Yao's face grew redder, his stuttering worse: "Yes, yes, we've met, though not exactly acquainted... but, but it was like meeting an old friend at first sight..."

Cheng Zhi grew even more astonished: "Shao Shang became fast friends with you at first meeting?" It seemed his elder brother and sister-in-law had been remiss—their niece not only caused trouble but also attracted admirers. After just attending a few banquets outside, she'd already drawn the attention of a scion from the Lou Family of Hedong. Excellent, excellent.

"Where and when did you meet my niece?"

For some reason, Cheng Zhi inexplicably puffed up with pride. Though his own daughter Cheng Wei wasn't yet ten, he had already unconsciously entered the critical mode of a prospective father-in-law.

"—Really, my lord, why ask so many questions?" Unexpectedly, Sang Shi, supported by her maids, gracefully descended from the carriage to undermine her husband. "Young Master Lou says he knows Shao Shang—would he deceive us?"

She then smiled gently at young Lou Yao: "Shao Shang is slightly unwell and resting in the carriage ahead. If you have something to say, Young Master Lou, please go ahead. But we must reach the posthouse before sunset, so I beg you to be brief."

Lou Yao, already sweating under Cheng Zhi's interrogation, looked infinitely grateful upon hearing Sang Shi's words. When he bowed with hands clasped, he nearly touched his head to the ground. Cheng Zhi barely suppressed his laughter.

Not stopping there, Sang Shi thoughtfully called A Zhu and A Mei out of Shao Shang's carriage so the young pair could speak privately. Cheng Zhi said irritably: "You might as well host a matchmaking banquet for them!"

Sang Shi chuckled: "No need for matchmaking banquets. Just don't interfere."

Cheng Zhi grumbled for a moment before suddenly asking: "...Are you displeased with how Elder Sister Yuan Yi treats Niao Niao?"

After a long silence, Sang Shi replied: "I was born fortunate. My parents were understanding, only insisting I be upright and kind—everything else was negotiable. When I disliked needlework, Father said it wasn't necessary. When I disliked idly gossiping with my sisters all day, Elder Brother took me out in the carriage to broaden my horizons. Even later, when I handled the Huangfu Family matter as I did, my family supported me. But Xiang Jun wasn't so lucky."

Cheng Zhi said: "Your closest friend, right? I recall she already..." Her grave mound must be overgrown with trees by now.

A dull ache rose in Sang Shi's heart: "In terms of talent and ability, Xiang Jun was in no way inferior to Husband's sister-in-law. Sadly, she neither had parents as good as mine nor was she forced to marry an open-minded husband. That's why she died young, full of regrets."

After some recollection, Cheng Zhi asked: "So when her family came seeking your help a few years back, you brushed them off?"Sang Shi said bitterly, "Clearly there are fine steeds within the family that could gallop across the world. Yet they insist on locking them up and restraining them—no wonder the family declines! Hmph, since they claim rules are more important than family prosperity, let them guard their precious rules well!"

As she spoke, a wave of sorrow washed over her. "Xiangjun was too kind-hearted, unable to bear abandoning her parents and family. If only she could have been like Niao Niao—whoever dared step on her would immediately face her wrath—then... then she would surely still be alive today..."

Cheng Zhi sighed. Though his wife's words risked teaching their child to disrespect elders, he understood her grief. He simply held her shoulders in silence without another word.

...

Meanwhile, Lou Yao hesitantly approached Shao Shang's carriage.

Peering through the raised curtain, Shao Shang was astonished. Though she'd seen this young man twice before, they hadn't exchanged more than half a sentence.

"What advice does Young Master Lou have for me?" she wondered, certain she hadn't offended him. At least, she didn't think so.

Lou Yao hemmed and hawed for a long while, stealing glances at the girl in the carriage. The dim interior light made her appear even paler and more delicate, her lightly furrowed brows like a tiny flower bowed by rain—pure, youthful beauty, clear as autumn water.

Remembering the Cheng family caravan needed to continue their journey, he mustered his courage: "You... I, I want to say, you're good, I, you're very very good..."

Shao Shang thought: Maybe you should reorganize that sentence? Pay attention to subject-verb-object agreement.

"I think, about that matter, you weren't wrong at all! Not one bit," Lou Yao finally managed after much effort, unleashing his ultimate move. "I admire you greatly in my heart."

He believed the emphasis should be on the latter half, but the girl focused entirely on the first part.

Shao Shang's expression darkened abruptly: "What do you mean I wasn't wrong? What have you heard?"

Lou Yao startled: "N-nothing... just that you made them fall off the bridge, and that was right, not wrong..."

Shao Shang's heart skipped a beat. She propped herself up sharply, face tense: "What nonsense! Where did you hear that?" Apart from Old Madam Wan, no one else should have seen through it—and this young man didn't seem particularly clever either.

"After seeing A Li off, I turned back to find you, wanting to thank you..." Lou Yao stammered under the girl's fiery gaze. "But I couldn't think how to say it, so I followed you for a while and saw... saw you remove some bridge planks..."

Shao Shang collapsed back weakly.

Indeed, man proposes but God disposes. Proud of her clever schemes, she'd overlooked this slip. The boy must have martial training—light on his feet, following unnoticed.

Seeing her ashen expression, Lou Yao hurriedly added: "Don't worry, I told no one! Not even my closest family. If I did, may I die instantly—heaven as my witness!"

This comforted Shao Shang somewhat. She knew people here took oaths as seriously as notarized legal documents. At least this secret wouldn't spread or cause trouble for the Wan and Cheng families.

"Being young and ignorant, I committed this terrible mistake and am deeply ashamed," Shao Shang said weakly, pitifully. "To be honest with Young Master Lou, I'm not ill—I received Family Law punishment, was banished from the Capital City, and ordered to reflect deeply on my faults."Seeing her like this, Lou Yao's heart softened, and even his voice softened: "Don't be afraid, and don't be sad. In my opinion, you did nothing wrong. Wang Ling deserved what she got! Yet you were punished by the elders! How many strokes of the rod did you receive? Does it still hurt? My family has good medicine—I'll go fetch it for you!"

Shao Shang inwardly scoffed. What nonsense was he spouting? Did he expect the Cheng family's convoy to wait while he went home to get medicine?! But she feigned a weak voice: "Then I thank Young Master Lou. Take your time fetching it, and let us part ways for now."

The phrasing was so flawed it was practically fatal, yet Lou Yao not only failed to notice but cheerfully prepared to take his leave. Finally remembering the most important thing he hadn't said, he stepped forward again: "Shao Shang, I... I..."

The young man, bathed in the morning sunlight, declared firmly, "I want to marry you!" Though he had been betrothed for over a decade, this was the first time he had ever made such a confession.

Shao Shang, already impatient, felt her suppressed anger flare up again at his words. She replied mockingly, "Marry me? What about your betrothed?"

Lou Yao hurriedly explained, "She's getting married this month! Ah, not to me! To that Heir Apparent Xiao!" To be so jubilant after being jilted was truly a testament to his survival instincts.

Shao Shang sneered, "So now that your engagement is broken, you come to toy with me? How dare you bully me like this! What, now that you have leverage over me, you think you can do as you please? Let me tell you, Lou, go ahead and say whatever you want—I won't be blackmailed by you!"

Young men and women from the streets, with no education or ambition, had little else to do but idle away their time. Though she had been young then, she had witnessed enough grand vows to fill a ledger.

Gentle Ah Qiang said 'I love you,' and Ah Zhen moved in with him—only for him to abandon her years later and marry someone else.

Cool Ah Gou declared 'You're my woman,' and Ah Hua had abortions for him—multiple times—until her health was ruined. Since they never married, Shao Shang didn’t know if she could still bear children.

Silver-tongued Ah Biao proclaimed, 'We’ll marry eventually—what’s yours is mine,' and Ah Chun’s years of hard-earned savings vanished into the void.

Did he think she was some naive fool?! Shao Shang was furious: "Get as far away from me as you can! Marry me? How could you possibly marry me? Have you consulted our parents? Found a matchmaker? Where are the betrothal gifts? Coming here with empty words to mock me! The Cheng family may not be as illustrious as your Lou Family, but we won’t tolerate such humiliation!... Mother Fu, A Mei, come quickly! Fetch someone! Drive this rogue away!"

Lou Yao never dreamed the girl would react like this. He stammered, "No, I... I really want to marry you... truly... I’ve already..."

Shao Shang didn’t want to hear his nonsense and yanked the carriage curtain shut. Outside, there was a flurry of footsteps and clamoring voices, mixed with Lou Yao’s protests, before everything gradually faded into the distance—clearly, he had been driven away.

She collapsed onto the cushions and sobbed pitifully. Life was unbearable—everyone seemed intent on bullying her!

After a while, Sang Shi cheerfully entered the carriage, holding a freshly wrung warm towel to wipe Shao Shang’s face before gently applying ointment. Her hands were cool and smooth, soothing Shao Shang’s nerves.

Embarrassed, Shao Shang said, "Aunt, I’ve made a fool of myself."Sang Shi smiled and said, "Don't worry, your uncle has already sent Young Master Lou away. But..." she asked with great interest, "why don't you trust him?"

"Why should I trust him?" Shao Shang replied blankly. "Shouldn't we be cautious and not trust too easily?" That way, one wouldn't get hurt.

Sang Shi was taken aback for a moment, then laughed. "You're right."

Then she pulled out a delicate Green Bamboo Flute from her sleeve and handed it to Shao Shang, saying, "The journey is dull. Let me teach you how to play the flute."

Shao Shang hesitated, "Didn't you recently... borrow a musical score from Grandfather's room? You realized that besides Uncle playing the flute and you playing the qin, a bamboo flute would be needed to harmonize?" In truth, Cheng Mu had deliberately made things difficult for Sang Shi by assigning her to clean the former residence of the late Cheng Taigong.

Sang Shi straightened her face, "Borrow? What borrow? Move? What move? Fellow musicians sharing their hearts—can that be called borrowing? Your grandfather-in-law's spirit in heaven would surely be delighted to know we're playing his compositions! Besides, one more skill never weighs you down. What's wrong with you learning something new?"

Having been scolded by her aunt before, Shao Shang forced a smile and quickly took the transverse flute.

Suddenly, a long, piercing eagle cry rang out from outside, cutting through the air like a sharp sword slicing through the oppressive sky. Sang Shi hurriedly lifted the carriage curtain, and Shao Shang craned her neck to see a powerful, majestic eagle soaring across the gray sky.

Delight rose in Shao Shang's eyes, "I've never seen such a huge eagle before!"

Sang Shi glanced at the girl, then back at the eagle flying further away, "Indeed. You'll see many more in the future."

Outside, the drivers' alternating shouts and the Cheng family guards' firm commands rose again as the carriage train slowly began to move.

[End of Volume One]

Author's Note: Dear readers, Volume One has concluded.

Give a round of applause, throw some flowers—next volume we're changing locations and entering the battlefield of asuras! La la la la!

Starting tomorrow, there will be a three-day hiatus—meaning the usual Friday update won't happen. The break will cover Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with updates resuming on Sunday at the usual time. Is this clear to everyone?

Because the story has numerous characters and a relatively large framework, I sometimes get confused as I write further along and need to sort out the threads. Please bear with me.

But don't you think my updates this time have improved tremendously compared to my last novel?

Enough said—I'm off to find a pot lid.