Love Like the Galaxy

The funeral rites lasted several days, and on the fourth day, the Emperor's edict arrived.

First came the flowery praises for the late Magistrate Cheng: "Benevolent and righteous, bestowing kindness upon the people, his name shall be remembered by future generations, praised by all virtuous officials of the realm." Before Shao Shang, kneeling below, could even silently scoff, the imperial eunuch promptly moved on to the substantial rewards: the late Magistrate Cheng was posthumously enfeoffed as a Second-Class Marquis Within the Passes, with his eldest grandson to inherit the title upon reaching adulthood and be granted an official rank of six hundred dan, along with an additional gift of ten thousand strings of coins.

Seeing her niece only half-understanding, Sang Shi quickly whispered an explanation: once the late Magistrate Cheng's grandson came of age, he would automatically receive an official position at the six hundred dan rank. Whether it would be a significant post or a sinecure would depend on the boy's own abilities—this was already an exceedingly generous reward.

Shao Shang exhaled a pent-up breath, thinking the Emperor was at least reasonable. If one really thought about it, if not for the Emperor's soft-heartedness and failure to decisively eliminate the rebel, Hua County and the Cheng Residence would never have suffered such a bloody calamity!

Accompanying the edict was Sang Shi's elder brother, Sang Yu. The Cheng matriarch led her two grandsons in bowing to express gratitude for the imperial favor, then instructed Cheng Zhi and his wife to accompany Sang Yu to a side hall for conversation. Joined by Shao Shang, the four sat around a charcoal brazier. Given their proximity to the late Magistrate Cheng's mourning hall, indulging in food and drink was inappropriate, so Cheng Zhi could only offer his brother-in-law a steaming bowl of honeyed syrup.

The Sang siblings bore a strong resemblance—both with rather ordinary features—though Sang Yu, having taught disciples and established his own school for years, carried an air of scholarly gravitas. Holding the cup without drinking, he first inquired about his sister's injuries.

Sang Shi smiled. "I've been eating and sleeping well these past few days, with daily dressing changes. It's much better now. Just flesh wounds, nothing affecting the bones or tendons."

Sang Yu sighed in relief, then shared a second piece of news: the Emperor had ordered Cheng Zhi to temporarily act as Magistrate of Hua County, to pacify the people and quell unrest in the region. The official edict would likely arrive within the next day or two.

While silently cursing her uncle's good fortune, Shao Shang politely asked, "Teacher Sang, why wasn't this edict issued together with the earlier one today?" Throughout their journey, as Cheng Zhi and his wife entertained scholars and Confucianists, she had always accompanied them, occasionally chiming in.

Sang Yu had already learned from family letters how fond his sister was of the Cheng eldest branch's daughter. Seeing the girl's striking beauty and lively spirit now, and recalling how this young girl had tenderly cared for his sister after her injury, he felt an immediate warmth toward her. Smiling, he replied, "His Majesty is compassionate. Fearing the late magistrate's family might be overwhelmed by grief, he deliberately delayed this edict by a day or two."

Shao Shang was speechless. She hadn't expected the Son of Heaven to possess such gentle, considerate qualities.

Noticing her stunned expression, Sang Shi laughed and said to her brother, "This girl here was complaining to me just days ago that His Majesty wasn't ruthless enough—if he'd eliminated Fan Chang earlier, none of this would have happened!"

Shao Shang gasped in alarm and pinched Sang Shi's waist in protest, only for Sang Shi to flick her little nose in return.

Sang Yu shook his head and sighed. "Many likely share such thoughts now, but how could ordinary people understand His Majesty's difficulties? That rebel Fan Ni contributed greatly to the founding of the dynasty. Aside from his violent temper, he had no other faults. Before clear evidence of rebellion emerged, arresting him based merely on rumors... this..." Stroking his scholar's beard, he continued, "Moreover, it's always easier to share hardships than prosperity. After our founding Emperor executed many meritorious officials, rumors now claim His Majesty will follow suit. To avoid unsettling the people's hearts... ahem..."

Shao Shang nodded inwardly. That explanation did make some sense.Having thought it over, she said cheerfully, "Uncle, I'll go keep watch at the memorial hall for you. You all can have a good talk with Teacher Sang—no need to rush." With that, she got up to leave, but halfway out, she turned back and added, "Teacher Sang, I've instructed the kitchen to prepare a scallion and mushroom meat porridge. Uncle can't eat it, so Aunt and I will have it poured over steaming wheat rice."

Cheng Zhi, who had been feeling downcast, couldn't help but slap the floor and laughingly scold, "You little rascal! Even if you dislike your uncle, must you announce it to everyone?"

Shao Shang immediately retorted, "Last night, I still made you soup cake with bone broth!"

"That was only because the Cheng matriarch ordered you to make an extra bowl!" Cheng Zhi fumed at the memory. "Otherwise, you would've only made it for the three of them! All my affection for you has been wasted!"

Shao Shang, flustered, snapped, "Uncle, you're a big fool! Only when the matriarch speaks can you eat properly! Hmph, no soup cake for you tonight!" With that, she stomped off indignantly. Cheng Zhi glared after her, his beard bristling, while the Sang siblings collapsed onto their seats in laughter.

Once the girl had left, Sang Yu wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes and said to his sister, "Your niece is quite clever and adorable—very likable." Turning to his brother-in-law, he added, "The county town is fine, but the villages outside have suffered greatly. You must be diligent and thorough. Perhaps you can even fill the vacant magistrate position."

To his surprise, Cheng Zhi shook his head and said quietly, "Diligence and thoroughness are natural—otherwise, I'd be letting down the late elder. But I won't take the position. Once things improve here next year, I'll ask my elder brother to find me another post."

Sang Yu frowned, about to voice his disapproval, but Sang Shi quickly interjected, gently saying, "Zi Rong and I are of the same mind. If we hadn't been leisurely and carefree on our journey and had arrived in the county town a few days earlier, Zi Rong might have had to go out to fight the bandits, with his life hanging in the balance. Now, the elder sacrificed himself for duty, while we remain unharmed. If Zi Rong were to take the position, it might invite criticism from those with ulterior motives—saying the carefree ones prosper while the dutiful suffer."

Sang Yu stroked his beard, pondering for a moment before nodding. "That makes sense. Don't worry about where to go—I know of several small counties where magistrate positions are open. Though..." He sighed. "None are as prosperous and peaceful as here."

As the Emperor gradually subdued the warlords and reclaimed territories, there was indeed a demand for local officials. However, not all counties were equal—some, like Qing County and Hua County, were bustling with tens of thousands of households, while others were impoverished with only a few hundred or thousand. Serving as a magistrate in the latter would be far less comfortable and lucrative than being a deputy in Hua County.

"It's fine," Cheng Zhi said earnestly. "I ought to learn to stand on my own, like the late elder, and protect the people under my care. It's just..." He glanced at Sang Shi. "Perhaps you should return to the Capital City, and I'll take up the post alone."

Sang Shi pinched her husband's waist hard and glared. "You go back if you want! Hand over the official seal, and I'll take the post for you! In my younger years, I followed my brother everywhere—do I need your pity?"

"Ow!" Cheng Zhi clutched his waist, scowling. "What do you know, woman? I'm doing this for your own good!"

"Enough!" Sang Yu rubbed his temples at the sight. "It's not that dire! Would I really send Zi Rong to some godforsaken place full of troublemakers? General Cheng wouldn't allow it either! Besides, we must wait until His Majesty finishes his inspection of Yanzhou and Qingzhou and returns to the Capital City before official appointments can be made."After earnestly delivering this lecture, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Pointing at his sister's nose, he shouted, "You, heal your leg injury properly, or you're not going anywhere!" Then he pointed at his brother-in-law, "And you, take care of your health! Don't let yourself become emaciated! Otherwise, go back to White Deer Mountain and help Father proofread books!"

After this outburst, seeing the cautious and obedient expressions on the couple's faces, the esteemed Teacher Sang finally felt much better. Letting out a long sigh, he said, "Go, tell your nephew to prepare dinner as well. I'll return to His Majesty tomorrow morning."

Sang Shi looked up in surprise, "Huh? Didn't you say His Majesty would be moving camp to Shanyang Commandery in a few days? Aren't you going back immediately to pack?"

Sang Yu sighed helplessly, "His Majesty has been in a temper these past two days. I'm keeping my distance. The pageboy has already packed my things."

Cheng Zhi also found it strange, "Is His Majesty angry about Fan Ni's rebellion?" During the chaos, the Emperor hadn't shown anger, but now that Fan Chang and his accomplices' heads were already hung out to dry, why was he getting angry now?

"It's not about that." Sang Yu stroked his beard with a bitter smile. "Two days ago, Eleventh Master caught up with Fan Chang and those instigating rebels and captured them all. That was good news..." He paused, "But who knew when reporting to His Majesty, Eleventh Master suddenly collapsed. Only then did His Majesty learn he'd been injured for days but concealed it, pushing himself to pursue the rebels. Now he's bedridden with high fever, unconscious... no wait, he'd already woken up by the time I left."

Cheng Zhi and Sang Shi exchanged glances. Sang Shi smiled, "Since he's awake, why is His Majesty still angry?"

Sang Yu looked both exasperated and amused, "His Majesty kept pacing by Eleventh Master's sickbed, repeatedly telling him to hurry up and marry to have children, otherwise there'd be no one to mourn him when he dies!"

"Eleventh Master refused?" Cheng Zhi asked.

"Obviously! If he'd agreed, would His Majesty be angry?" Sang Yu said helplessly. "When pressed, Eleventh Master said he wished to marry someone he truly loved like his uncle did, rather than end up like his parents who resented each other for half their lives."

Cheng Zhi clapped his hands laughing, "That must have left His Majesty speechless."

Sang Yu said irritably, "Whether he said that or not, His Majesty can't do anything about it! Four years ago when Princess Yuchang wanted to remarry him, His Majesty tried to force the marriage. But Eleventh Master rode alone to the northwest and coincidentally encountered Hu invaders at the border, nearly losing his life! Since then, His Majesty hasn't dared to force anything. Unable to vent at Eleventh Master, who else can he take his anger out on?!"

Cheng Zhi couldn't help saying, "His Majesty pities Eleventh Master's difficult life and raised him like his own son. If he really doesn't want to marry, perhaps he could take concubines first?" Actually marriage wasn't the important part—having children was.

Sang Yu drained his sweetened water in one gulp, "Concubines? Hmph, do you think His Majesty hasn't bestowed any? That others haven't gifted any? But Eleventh Master is peculiar—those concubines come and go, none staying long, let alone bearing children. Ah well, never mind. After accompanying His Majesty's inspection of Qingzhou, I'm returning to White Deer Mountain. Attending the Emperor is truly uncomfortable!"

Sang Shi seemed thoughtful but said nothing, and never brought up the matter again.After three days of mourning, Cheng Zhi immediately threw himself into the bustling post-disaster reconstruction work. Since Sang Shi had leg injuries, apart from negotiating for food supplies with the noblewomen of the county town, many auxiliary tasks were unceremoniously assigned to his dear niece.

During her studies, Shao Shang had once heard a saying: until the establishment of New China, the control of successive dynasties in China over local governance extended only to the county level at most. Below the county, local rule largely relied on indigenous forces such as clans and gentry.

Before transmigrating, she hadn’t understood what this meant. How could governance be impossible? Villages had village committees and party secretaries, towns had mayors, party secretaries, and various administrative mechanisms, and at the county level, there were complete sets of auxiliary offices—public security, prosecution, courts—handling everything from tax collection and gambling crackdowns to vice raids, organized crime suppression, and population statistics. It was a one-stop service, precise and efficient.

But now, Shao Shang fully understood.

Hua County was considered a fairly large county, with a permanent population of around ten thousand households. It was staffed with one county magistrate, holding an official rank just under one thousand dan (a unit of grain used to denote rank), one county deputy (Cheng Zhi), with a rank ranging from four hundred to six hundred dan , responsible for civil administration, taxation, and household registration. Additionally, there were two county captains, ranked at two to three hundred dan , in charge of public security.

In other words, for such a large county town with tens of thousands of people, there were only four state-appointed officials! Four! The rest of the auxiliary staff had to be personally recruited by the officials themselves.

So—

The old County Magistrate Cheng maintained four or five retainers, along with family generals and soldiers brought from his clan. In peaceful times, they drafted memorials and documents; when trouble arose, they could arrest people and administer beatings.

The young Deputy Cheng Zhi kept two or three retainers, as well as battle-hardened family guards continuously sent by his elder brother.

Even the two local county captains each had their own gangs of followers, who usually patrolled the streets, markets, and shops, shouting orders and maintaining order.

At first, Shao Shang wanted to ask, What if the newly appointed magistrate or deputy had no money or manpower? But then she realized the question was too naive. This wasn’t the era of imperial examinations, where one could go from a peasant in the morning to an official serving the Emperor by evening . Nowadays, most officials were either recommended by the court and renowned scholars or summoned by imperial decree. Simply put, those who became officials, whether from aristocratic families or not, generally had connections.

Take Yuan Shen as an example—he met all the above conditions. His father was a provincial governor, a prominent high-ranking regional official who could easily recommend his outstanding son for an official post. His numerous teachers were either great Confucian scholars or high-ranking officials at the Imperial Academy, all capable of recommending their prized disciples for office. But he took a third path: at eighteen, he stunned the court during a grand classics debate and was personally summoned by the Emperor to receive an official position.

Of course, there were exceptions who took unconventional paths.

For instance, the deputy under Senior Brother Gongsun in the neighboring county came from an ordinary farming family. But he had shown exceptional intelligence since childhood and was taken under the wing of a local teacher, who later recommended him to the Imperial Academy.

Another example was the current deputy governor of Dongjun, who originally came from a humble peddler’s family. During the chaotic times, he seized business opportunities, amassing great wealth by trading horses. It was said he even helped several generals of the current dynasty procure military provisions during the war. With this, he donated his way to a modest official position after the war to satisfy his bureaucratic ambitions and bring honor to his family. When his superior rebelled, he pledged extravagant support to the cause, even vowing to donate his entire fortune—only to turn around and pledge loyalty to the Emperor.

—Shao Shang couldn’t help but curl her toes in admiration for this deputy governor. What a talent!Shao Shang initially thought this official appointment model hindered the upward mobility of lower-class talents. But as she looked at the heavy bamboo scrolls in her hands, she realized such concerns were unnecessary. In a society where paper hadn’t even been developed or popularized yet, knowledge couldn’t circulate cheaply, and without enlightening the masses, how could large-scale upward mobility of lower-class talents even occur—this was the harsh reality.

For instance, she now stood in a medical hut at the western corner of the city, which also served as a shelter and porridge station. A minor official came to ask:

"Thirty hu of old rice were delivered the day before yesterday, and forty hu of mixed beans yesterday. One large pot requires two hu of rice, and each pot can provide rations for twenty people per day. The thick bean porridge is made with three parts old rice to one part mixed beans. There are over 1,200 people outside today. How much more old rice and mixed beans should Cheng-daren send at minimum?"

Over on the other side, the retainers Cheng Zhi had sent to help hadn’t even finished setting up their counting rods yet when Shao Shang, using a stick to scribble a few equations on the ground, had already calculated the answer. The minor official was left gaping in astonishment.

Shao Shang was also startled. She distinctly remembered that as long as it didn’t involve advanced mathematics or higher, Sang Shi’s mental calculations were just as fast and accurate as her own formula-based pen-and-paper methods. The retainer was at least somewhat educated, but the rest of the people in the shelter had no idea what Shao Shang was talking about. Some from more primitive areas couldn’t even count properly, let alone perform basic arithmetic.

Shao Shang suddenly realized she needed to suppress her greed with effort—cheating these farmers and hunters would be far too easy! Skimming a bit on the numbers when collecting hides or grains would be practically risk-free profit. Slapping away the unscrupulous merchant genes inherited from her cold-hearted father, Shao Shang buried herself in work with a stern face, resolutely banishing such wicked thoughts.

Thanks to the timely arrival of the Tiger Brave Army, the bandits had only half a day to wreak havoc. Even working overtime to pillage, rape, and plunder, the damage to the population and economy remained limited.

The 1,200-plus people in this shelter were the unlucky hardest-hit victims—not only were their homes burned, family members killed or maimed, but all their belongings and food had been looted. Even if they had relatives to take them in, their injuries and illnesses would cost a fortune to treat. Thus, Cheng Zhi had specifically set up this medical hut to shelter and treat the afflicted villagers until they recovered enough to return home.

Shao Shang: "As expected, medical treatment has always been expensive, past or present."

Originally, Sang Shi hadn’t wanted Shao Shang to come to such a place, but Shao Shang felt that spending all day keeping vigil with the orphaned children of the late Cheng Magistrate was too depressing. She’d rather engage in some humanitarian work—besides, external injuries weren’t contagious.

Sang Shi, who always respected her opinions, had no choice but to agree.

Medical standards at the time were still quite crude. Treating external injuries mostly followed a simple three-step process: clean, scrape off rot, apply medicine—done. The most advanced technique was stitching, which involved threading hemp directly through flesh, making Shao Shang’s heart tremble at the sight. Antibiotics were out of the question; the highest form of treatment was having shamans perform rituals and chant incantations nearby!

At first, Shao Shang wanted to chase all these superstitious frauds out and give them a beating. But after observing how their theatrics actually boosted many patients’ will to live—the atheist Miss Cheng politely invited the charlatans to perform regularly every few days, with generous compensation. Over time, rumors spread in the county praising her reverence for heaven, earth, and the spirits.The Medical Hut housed all those who had suffered in the recent military chaos, and naturally, the atmosphere was far from pleasant. Everyone had a tragic tale to tell. An ordinary young girl would likely have burst into tears dozens of times a day, but someone as cold-hearted and tough as Shao Shang could handle it.

Stuffing spilled intestines back in, stitching up bellies amidst deafening screams, amputating limbs barely hanging by a thread of flesh—all without anesthesia, forcing patients to endure the pain. Applying medicinal oils to charred, blackened flesh...

Standing expressionless in the center, Shao Shang directed the gathered physicians, apprentices, and helpers from across the county. Every day, she allocated food, medicine, and clean water, recorded the names and origins of those who had died or recovered enough to leave, assigned shifts for patient care, arranged work schedules, and meticulously tracked expenses to prevent waste and corruption.

Cheng Zhi had initially intended for his niece to manage the Medical Hut temporarily for a few days until he could free himself from repairing the city's defenses and assign a more reliable person to take over. But Shao Shang argued fiercely and refused to step down.

These past days, she rose before dawn to travel from the county office to the Medical Hut, returning only as dusk fell, working at least fifteen hours a day. Sometimes, when things got too busy, she would simply curl up for the night in the inner hall of the hut, with her guards and Martial Maids taking turns to watch over her.

If at first she had sought refuge outside the mourning-draped county office, later it felt as though some inexplicable, restless force drove her, pushing her to persist day after day.

Day Five at the Medical Hut—

Facing groups of patients either weeping bitterly or numb with despair, Shao Shang had grown coldly efficient in her responses:

"Crying won’t help. Save your strength to bite down on the wood the physician gives you and endure the bone-setting!"

"Stop wailing. So you were assaulted—what’s the difference between once or several times? Your betrothed has been waiting outside for two days, ready to marry you once you recover. If you don’t get better, I’ll find him another New Bride myself!"

"Your father and brothers were dismembered and left to die in agony? How tragic. But if you die too, all your family’s land will go to others. Better recover quickly, marry, and have a bunch of kids—live out the years your father and brothers lost."

"Your mother and sisters were tortured to death? Well, at least you’re a man, and the bandits weren’t into that—otherwise, your chrysanthemum would’ve turned into a sunflower." (This last one was an internal remark.)

Day Ten at the Medical Hut—

As Shao Shang wrote, "Today, twelve recovered and left; thirty-one succumbed to injuries and were moved outside," she deeply felt that advancing medical care was far more urgent than inventing paper to spread knowledge.

With the current state of medicine, even with her efforts to improve hygiene—boiling bandages, ensuring clean food and sleep, maintaining indoor warmth—survival ultimately depended on each person’s constitution. Those who could endure did; those who couldn’t were carried outside the city walls.

But not everyone had Ling Buyi’s ruthless endurance and robust physique. By this day, the initial twelve hundred survivors had dwindled to two or three hundred. A third of those who had left were now mere souls, their bodies either claimed by families for burial or cremated, their ashes scattered over unmarked graves.

Day Fifteen at the Medical Hut—Heavy Rain—

Kneeling beside a quiet sickbed in the inner hall, Shao Shang clutched a small, icy hand tightly in hers. Finally, she could no longer hold back her tears.The girl on the sickbed was not yet thirteen years old, with delicate features and a prominent dimple on her cheek. She had once enjoyed a happy family life, but misfortune struck when her home, built at the village entrance, became an easy target for bandits who came galloping on horseback—there was no time to escape.

She watched helplessly as her entire family was slaughtered. After suffering repeated assaults, she was stabbed in the abdomen. A kind neighbor pulled the barely alive girl from the ruins of her burned home and cared for her for several days. When her condition showed no improvement, she was finally brought to the county town's Medical Hut.

The little girl's will to survive was incredibly strong. She gritted her teeth through the excruciating pain of each dressing change and suture, murmuring even in her delirium about living to seek revenge. When conscious, she would tell others how her parents and elder brother had doted on her in childhood. Shao Shang devoted herself wholeheartedly to caring for the girl, personally dressing her wounds, feeding her medicine, and changing her clothes, constantly whispering words of encouragement by her ear, praying to all the gods that this child might not die.

Just live, just live.

Yet she still passed away, carrying endless pain and resentment. Before her last breath, she opened her large eyes wide and said to Shao Shang, "Young Lady, your great kindness... this humble girl will repay it in the next life, even if it means holding a ring in my mouth or knotting grass..."

Watching the girl's body being carried away, the exhaustion and frustration of over half a month crashed down on Shao Shang. She wept until her breath hitched, her voice choked, her entire body trembling. Through tear-blurred vision, she recalled the little maidservant who also had dimples and loved listening to her play the flute—she hadn’t even seen her body, or perhaps there was no body left to see...

Shao Shang suddenly longed to go home. Even that small town full of scornful glares and cold words was better than staying here. Because there, she feared nothing. If someone mocked her, she could curse back a hundredfold; if someone bullied her, she always found a way to retaliate twice as hard. Eventually, even the townsfolk had no choice but to regard her with newfound respect.

But here, she was utterly powerless! She could do nothing! She could only shrink into the inner hall and cry helplessly...

She wept for a long time, until her head ached from it. Then a guard hurried in from outside and reported, "Young Lady, there’s a young master surnamed Lou outside who says he wishes to see you."

Shao Shang startled to her feet, roughly wiping her tears with her sleeve before storming out with a murderous expression. The two martial maids exchanged bewildered glances—just moments ago, they had tried in vain to console her, yet now she had stopped crying in an instant.

Shao Shang swiftly stepped out of the inner hall and yanked aside the outer curtain. Sure enough, Lou Yao stood there, having been apart from her for two months, accompanied by three or five servants.

Lou Yao seemed to have traveled a long way, his face weathered by the elements, half his clothes beneath his straw raincoat soaked through. The moment he saw Shao Shang, joy flooded his expression—but before he could utter a single word, Shao Shang swept toward him like a gust of wind, silently seizing his sleeve and dragging him outside with all her might.

In terms of strength, three Shao Shangs couldn’t have moved Lou Yao, but of course he wouldn’t resist a girl’s pull. He let himself be led into the courtyard outside, while the servants wisely refrained from "protecting their master."

Shao Shang plunged into the pouring rain, her eyes bloodshot, and shouted, "Why are you here? Come to threaten me again?" She was thoroughly sick of these pampered young masters and ladies born in comfort!

The rain poured down mercilessly, drenching the girl’s clothes in moments. Seeing this, Lou Yao hastily removed his own straw raincoat and draped it over her, stammering, "N-no, I told you last time... I truly admire you..."Shao Shang forcefully pushed away the straw raincoat in the young man's hands, screaming in rage, "Shut up! Who needs your admiration?! You don't even know who I am! Seeing a few superficial traits and calling it 'admiration'—you ignorant fool! Do you have any idea what's been happening in Yanzhou these days?! And you're still hung up on this worthless 'admiration'? Are you that bored?! Let me tell you, I'm sharp-tongued, vindictive, narrow-minded, and downright malicious! Full of schemes but utterly incompetent! I’ve only managed to act tough all this time because of my father and brothers’ protection—I’m completely useless! What’s there to 'admire'?!"

Lou Yao ignored the girl’s furious tirade, stepping forward to forcefully drape the straw raincoat over her head and shoulders before retreating three large steps. Summoning all the strength in his chest, he roared like thunder, "Just listen to me first!"

Startled, Shao Shang fell silent, dumbly wrapped in the raincoat.

Lou Yao took a deep breath, but rainwater streamed down his face, nearly choking him as he inhaled some into his nostrils. Coughing awkwardly a few times, he finally shouted, "That day outside the capital when I saw you off, I wanted to tell you—right after the Wan family banquet, I went home and told my mother I wanted to marry you! At first, she thought I was joking, so I knelt in front of her room… for about half an incense stick’s time… before she finally agreed to write to my father in Yanzhou to ask about it."

Shao Shang blinked in surprise: Half an incense stick? That’s so short. Your mother must be very easygoing.

Lou Yao continued, "But then you left the capital so quickly, so I chased after you to tell you. I—I’m not some lecher or frivolous person. I truly admire you."

Here, he grew slightly bashful. "After your family’s convoy set off, I immediately went back to pack and rode straight to my father in Shanyang Commandery. I… I wanted to tell him that you’re a very, very good woman."

Shao Shang burst into laughter, nearly crying from it. "Me? I’m good?" It was the best joke she’d heard since birth.

Now completely drenched, Lou Yao wiped his face and declared firmly, "Yes, you are. You’re extraordinarily brave, quick-witted, and clever. You dare to say what others won’t and do what others fear to! Since childhood, I’ve been taught to step back for the greater good, to yield to He Zhaojun. But I don’t want to! Why should I swallow insults? Why force myself to endure what I dislike?! If the He family hadn’t called off the engagement, would I have had to live in cowardly submission forever?!"

"I want… I want to be fearless like you! I refuse to be as mediocre and weak as before," the young man said, word by word, standing tall under the pouring rain as if oblivious to the cold.

"Five days ago, my father approved our marriage and sent someone back to the capital to have my mother propose to the Cheng Residence. I… I came ahead to see you…"

"Don’t listen to others’ words and belittle yourself. I’ve looked into your past—you’re nothing like the rumors say! I trust my own eyes! You should believe in yourself too!"

The winter rain was bone-chilling, but the fervent sincerity radiating from the young man seemed to evaporate the bitter cold into nothingness.

Shao Shang stared at him in a daze, warmth blossoming in her heart. Though faint, like the dim glow of a night lamp, it was enough to kindle hope.

She no longer felt cold.Author's Note:

That's right. While Yuan Shen was accompanying Ling Buyi on the bandit suppression mission, our dear Xiao Lou had already made his move.

That math problem above was made up by me—don’t take it seriously.

Given that some chapters are longer while others are shorter, please embrace them with a motherly heart and just smile it off, okay?