Qiao Chu

Chu Zhao paid no mind to how Ding Dachui and Ding Dashen would discuss matters next, nor how Xiao Man would go on to warn and threaten them.

She had done all she needed to do. She believed in herself and in Xiao Man.

With these thirty people, they could barely manage to set off.

There was no more time to delay. Her father had passed away in battle against Western Liang, and this was her last chance to see him.

Chu Zhao led A Le back to the tent, where Lao Bai was waiting at the entrance. He handed her a letter: "Miss, a letter from Lord Xie Yanfang."

A Le let out a happy exclamation, "Third Young Master has written to you! I thought he had forgotten about you."

Ever since leaving the capital, familiar figures like Deng Yi, Xie Yanfang, and Chu Tang had all vanished from their lives.

A letter from Xie Yanfang? Chu Zhao was also delighted. Along the journey, she had been solely focused on pressing forward, unaware of any news from behind. She wasn't worried about court affairs either—with Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang in charge, there was nothing to fear. The only concern was Xiao Yu, who was still just a child, and she truly felt uneasy about him.

Chu Zhao took the letter and entered the tent, sitting down to open it. The letter wasn't long—only half a page. It first recounted court affairs after her departure and matters concerning Xiao Yu: he attended court diligently, studied hard, but had a terrible temper—

"This is because you're not here. He's frightened inside, so he uses his temper to seek a sense of security."

Then it mentioned the news of the ambush and expressed concern.

"See, he also suspects it was Prince Zhongshan," Chu Zhao said to A Le.

A Le sat beside her, reading along, and nodded in agreement. "Then it's settled—it was Prince Zhongshan."

Xie Yanfang's letter was straightforward, informing her that Prince Zhongshan's power far exceeded what the public and the court knew.

Though he had been stripped of his fangs and claws back then, decades of cultivation had still allowed him to grow into a fierce tiger.

Moreover, the court had no real grasp or understanding of his wealth, manpower, or private army.

Chu Zhao nodded, then pursed her lips into a faint smile. These words about Prince Zhongshan could just as well apply to the Xie family. In that other lifetime, the Xie family had rebelled, and like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, they stirred up the Great Xia, splitting the north and south—a conflict that hadn't ended even by the time of her death.

In this lifetime, the one rebelling was Prince Zhongshan. If a war broke out, the situation would likely be similar to that previous life.

"But—why does it stop here?" A Le asked, interrupting Chu Zhao's reverie.

Chu Zhao looked at the letter, where A Le's finger was pointing at the last line.

"I am very worried about you," A Le read aloud, then looked at Chu Zhao. "And then?"

The letter ended abruptly right there.

"Did he not finish writing it?" A Le wondered in confusion.

Was Xie Yanfang too busy to complete it?

Chu Zhao looked at the letter and smiled again. It wasn't unfinished. Xie Yanfang's meaning was that he was deeply worried about her but unwilling to stop her.

She knew that once news of the ambush reached the capital, Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang would certainly be reluctant to let her continue forward. Moreover, with the King of Xiliang's invasion and the outbreak of war in the Border Commandery, Prince Zhongshan would have even more opportunities to act. Since Prince Zhongshan already had his eyes on her, the journey was truly perilous. Whether for her own safety or for the stability of the court, she ought to turn her horse around and return to the capital.

That was the logical and strategic course of action. But emotionally, Xie Yanfang knew how desperately she wanted to go to the Border Commandery, so he couldn't bring himself to advise her against it.

That was why he had written only this half-letter.Chu Zhao's finger rested on the final line of text, slowly and lightly tracing back and forth. What should she do? What could she do? She could pour out all her worries, but she couldn't bring herself to voice any persuasion—because she knew, she understood, he—

"Young lady—Xie—" Lao Bai's voice called from outside.

Before he could finish, the door curtain was swept aside with a rustle. Someone stood framed in the sunlight, bursting into the room along with the daylight, flooding the interior with radiance.

Chu Zhao raised a hand to shield her forehead, watching as the sunlight danced across his travel-worn armor, his fair complexion, his spirited phoenix eyes and high-bridged nose.

"A Jiu."

The next moment, she leaped up and joyfully rushed toward him.

A Jiu had come!

……

……

Lao Bai had no idea what was happening.

He had clearly been standing in the doorway, yet the next moment he was shoved aside.

The girl who had charged forward halted before him, as if witnessing something utterly ridiculous, and burst into loud laughter.

Well, this was the first time since their journey began that Miss Chu had laughed so heartily.

Behind him, the young officer was also laughing, a hissing sound escaping through his teeth like a cold breeze brushing against Lao Bai's neck.

Miss Chu laughed heartily and said, "A Jiu, I never expected you to come."

Commandant Xie hissed with laughter and replied, "You flatter me, miss. Is there anything you don't know?"

Lao Bai thought to himself, he knew nothing—like why he was standing here at all?

Fortunately, the Empress, as expected, knew everything. Noticing his embarrassment and confusion, she smiled and said, "You may go attend to your duties now."

Lao Bai didn't even manage to utter a word of acknowledgment before turning and hurrying out.

With Lao Bai no longer blocking the way, Chu Zhao could see the mockery and triumph in Xie Yanlai's eyes—an expression that seemed to say, "I knew you'd do this, but I'm still one step ahead." She laughed again.

"I just read Young Master Xie the Third's letter," she said. "And then you showed up."

Xie Yanlai's expression remained mocking, but his spirited phoenix eyes lowered slightly as he said, "I was sent by him to bring you back." With a toss of his head, he added, "Let's go."

He strode out of the room.

Chu Zhao followed behind, laughing, then quickened her steps to circle in front of him and block his path. There was no trace of anger or unease on her face as she smiled and said, "Trying to scare me again."

……

……

"Who is that person?"

Not far away, "Ding Dashen" happened to witness the scene and asked in surprise.

The earlier events had been so sudden and overwhelming that she had been flustered, not knowing what to do, and had wandered aimlessly around the camp.

It was only when Xiao Man found her that she began to calm down a little.

Xiao Man complained to her, "That's just how Chu Zhao is. She's cunning and shrewd. Who knows what she's scheming or when she started watching you, but she managed to corner you, Auntie."

The woman thought back to the earlier scene—the girl walking in, radiant like a splendid lantern. She hadn't dared to look too closely, dazzled and flustered by the brilliance—she hadn't noticed whether she was cunning or shrewd. All she had heard was how every word she spoke was so endearing and considerate.

So endearing that she made her believe she was Ding Dachui's wife, so considerate that she allowed the couple to stay together.

The woman chuckled softly and murmured, "The General raised her well."

She was a girl raised with love.

"It's clearly because you gave birth to her so well," Xiao Man said indignantly. After all these years, her aunt still never spoke a single ill word of that Chu Ling. She then asked, "What do we do now?"

Should they do as Chu Zhao said? Follow along with them, no longer needing to hide or avoid them?

She had never dared to hope that she could appear before her, speak with her, and be gazed upon with her smiling eyes—The woman pressed a hand to her chest. "Heaven must be showing me mercy," she murmured, lifting her gaze to Xiao Man. "Then I'll take on the role of this Ding Dashen."

Hearing that title and recalling the earlier scene—how Ding Dachui had turned pale, and how even Chu Zhao hadn't noticed—Xiao Man couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"She's so silly," she said.

Ding Dashen reached out and lightly tapped her. "Stop laughing. Ding Dashen isn't familiar with you either—straighten your face."

Xiao Man clutched her stomach, trying to keep from laughing herself breathless.

As the two chatted and laughed, Ding Dashen suddenly glanced toward a direction where a group of riders was galloping over. Such mounted troops were common in the military camp, and similar scenes were unfolding elsewhere at that moment, yet she fixed her gaze solely on this particular group.

Dust-covered and weary, they clearly weren't locals.

The other riders halted, and one among them headed straight for Chu Zhao's location.

This was also commonplace—Couriers always delivered messages directly into Chu Zhao's hands.

But this Courier—

The woman narrowed her eyes. Young, yet radiating an extraordinary presence.

He dismounted, and the soldiers at the entrance offered no resistance. In fact, Lao Bai warmly greeted him. The young Courier pushed aside the tent flap and entered directly—

Then, he strode back out, appearing displeased, while Chu Zhao followed behind him with a smile, bounding up like a young deer to block his path—

The woman felt her own heart skip a beat.

She wondered if that young Courier's heart had skipped several beats as well.