Qiao Chu

"Empress?" Seventh Master Xie was momentarily stunned.

Of course. Although Qi Gonggong served the Emperor, the Imperial City was currently under Empress Chu's control.

Since even Xiao Yu obeyed her, the eunuchs, palace maids, and imperial guards naturally followed her commands as well.

"Why does the Empress want to see him?" he asked, his eyes wary.

This Empress Chu was certainly not aligned with their Xie family.

"Young Master Yan Lai has frightened His Majesty," Qi Gonggong said. "Her Majesty orders him to enter the palace immediately to offer His Majesty an explanation."

His Majesty? Seventh Master Xie hesitated. "Why not let Yan Fang see His Majesty first? Once His Majesty is appeased, it wouldn't be too late for Yan Lai to see him afterward."

Qi Gonggong shook his head. "One must answer for their own actions. How can we let Young Master Yan Fang explain on his behalf?" With that, he stepped forward, looking down from the high platform and raising his voice. "Xie Yanlai! Her Majesty the Empress declares that your unruly behavior has disturbed the capital. You deserve punishment and are ordered to enter the city at once to offer a formal apology with brambles on your back."

As he spoke, two eunuchs stepped forward behind him, holding bundles of thorny branches in their hands.

Offer a formal apology with brambles on his back? Enter the city? Wasn't this just a public humiliation?

The people below the platform were taken aback.

"Isn't this still a punishment?" General Niu couldn't help but complain. "I thought he wasn't guilty."

Others hurriedly restrained him.

"That's the Empress." "The Empress oversees court affairs. Her word is law."

"Even if she weren't overseeing court affairs, the Empress once commanded the Border Army. She is our commander, and it's only natural for a commander to punish someone."

Xie Yanlai paid no attention to the clamor around him, nor did he refute or question the order. He merely curled his lip and said, "I knew she'd make a fuss."

...

...

Seventh Master Xie rushed into the Xie residence and nearly collided with Cai Bo at the entrance.

"Where is Yan Fang?" he asked.

Cai Bo pointed toward the back. "He's playing chess by the Waterside Pavilion."

Seventh Master Xie paused mid-step. "Does he have a guest?"

Cai Bo shook his head. "No, he's playing against himself."

Seventh Master Xie felt both exasperated and amused. "When did he pick up this new hobby? He used to think playing chess with others was a waste of time." With that, he hurried toward the back, soon spotting the young master seated in the pavilion at the end of the winding water corridor.

The young master was dressed in casual home attire, one hand propping up his chin, the other holding a chess piece, his expression focused on the board.

"Everything was going just fine," Seventh Master Xie said as he sat down, getting straight to the point. "But then Empress Chu had to interfere. Who knows what kind of authority she's trying to flaunt, insisting that Xie Yanlai enter the capital to offer a formal apology with brambles on his back."

Xie Yanfang, still holding the chess piece, smiled. "Offer a formal apology with brambles on his back? She learned that from me."

Seventh Master Xie remembered. Three years ago, there had been a similar incident involving the land dispute with Young Master Wei of Han Commandery, which ended with Xie Yanlai being punished publicly.

"That time, Empress Chu interrupted halfway through," he said discontentedly. "Now she's using the same method."

Xie Yanfang nodded. "Yes, that time she protected him, and this time she's doing the same."

Protecting him? Seventh Master Xie thought they might be talking about different things. Last time, regardless of the interruption, this time it was the Empress giving the order. How could that still be considered protecting Xie Yanlai?

Xie Yanfang explained, "Offering a formal apology with brambles on one's back is a timeless strategy for gaining fame."

He placed the chess piece on the board with a crisp click.

...

...

When the majestic and sprawling capital city came into view, the soldiers entering the capital for the first time were not stunned by the city itself but by the crowds outside its walls.

There were so many people!

Although they had known along the way that it was different from the Border Commanderies—that the towns were prosperous and densely populated—they had never expected such a throng that it nearly blocked the road."These are all spectators," the officials murmured.

Earlier, there had already been many onlookers outside the Capital Garrison. The news must have spread to the capital. After traveling all this way, the capital's residents had surely gathered upon hearing the news to watch the spectacle.

One official even chuckled, "This is the Empress punishing Xie Yanlai. What kind of punishment would it be if no one saw it?"

These commoners were probably deliberately summoned by the Empress as well.

As he spoke, he signaled the imperial guards: "Clear a path for Captain Xie to enter the Imperial City."

In truth, there was no need for their orders. The capital's soldiers were already dispersing the crowds in the streets. The commander of the city defense troops stepped forward, first paying respects to the officials, then without further ado, called out Xie Yanlai's name.

"Captain Xie," he said, "please proceed."

Xie Yanlai dismounted from his horse, the thorny branches strapped to his back.

"Your clothes," Qi Gonggong reminded from his horse. "Since this is to seek punishment, we should be sincere."

He had to remove his clothes? This was truly punishment—the humiliating kind. Complex expressions crossed everyone's faces—some indifferent, some amused, others concerned.

Xie Yanlai showed no shame or anger, merely frowning at Qi Gonggong. After the prolonged brawl and melee during the military drill earlier, his clothes were already torn. Qi Gonggong had urged them to leave immediately, and no one had time to wash up, simply throwing on whatever garments were available before setting off.

"You should have said so earlier," he said impatiently. "I wouldn't have bothered wearing this if I'd known."

Qi Gonggong smiled. "Although the weather has warmed, the wind still carries a chill. The Empress intends to punish you, Captain, not harm you." He gestured to the eunuchs. "Quick, assist him."

The eunuchs stepped forward to hold the thorny branches for Xie Yanlai, but he brushed them aside, tearing off his robe himself to bare his upper body. Shaking off the eunuchs, he strode toward the city gate.

The officials did not follow further. Let the Xie family scion bear this shameful spectacle alone.

The bare-chested young man emerged from the procession, and instantly all eyes in the surrounding crowd fixed upon him. Earlier, amidst the dense throng of officials, soldiers, and eunuchs, it had been impossible to identify the main figure. Now, they finally recognized him.

"Look, that's him!"

"It must be him. He's the one who started the trouble. Serves him right!"

"Is this Young Master Xie the Third's younger brother?"

"Don't mention Young Master Xie the Third. What does this have to do with him? You're sullying the third young master's name for no reason!"

"I heard he's an illegitimate child. The mistress abandoned the child at the Xie residence and ran off herself."

"What mistress? Who knows if that's even true."

"The Xie family originally refused to acknowledge him. It was only because Young Master Xie the Third took pity on the child nearly freezing to death in the snow during winter that he persuaded their grandfather to recognize him."

"See? Running wild, acting arrogantly, killing and burning—he definitely isn't of Xie blood. He's staining their family name."

Pointing fingers and murmurs spread through the crowd. Though many spoke in low voices, the sheer number made their collective whispers loud, and the noise compelled others to raise their voices even more. In an instant, the street surged like waves crashing toward the young man walking at its center.

A soldier standing at the back couldn't help but mutter, "How terrifying."

Although only Xie Yanlai had been ordered to seek punishment with thorns, ten soldiers each from the Border Army and Capital Garrison had followed along in case the court required testimony.

They now stood behind the officials.

Niu General, already in a foul mood, turned and scolded upon hearing this: "Spineless! What's so terrifying? Haven't you seen people before? Haven't you heard shouting? Were the Xiliang soldiers few in any battle? Their shouts were louder than this. Acting like you've never seen the world—disgraceful."The soldier, having been scolded harshly, said sheepishly, "But it's different—these are ordinary people."

What about ordinary people? Are they more terrifying than the Xiliang soldiers who kill with blades and spears? General Niu was about to scold him again, but the words stuck in his throat—

Yes, sometimes ordinary people are indeed more frightening than villains.

General Niu looked ahead. The young man was walking neither fast nor slow, bare-chested, carrying thorny branches on his back, moving lazily and paying no attention to the clamor around him.

Just as he never cared or feared no matter how fierce the Xiliang soldiers were on the battlefield, or how perilous the situation.

"I'm not afraid," General Niu muttered.

This was a phrase Xie Yanlai often used.

But fearlessness aside, the situation was humiliating. General Niu glanced back. The Capital Garrison soldiers stood mixed with them, all looking dazed. The officer named Lin Kun wore an especially grim expression.

Lin Kun had tried to reassure him on the way, saying that bearing thorns to admit guilt was no big deal—it was just for show—and promised to take them around the capital for fun once it was over.

After the fight, they had reconciled completely. Without the fight, the matter would have ended, but the Capital Garrison’s resentment would have lingered.

Now General Niu understood why Xie Yanlai had done it.

Xie Yanlai had also said, "I am myself; the Border Army is the Border Army."

General Niu now grasped it too: by taking the blame alone, the Border Army remained unscathed.

Clenching his fists, his face flushed, General Niu recalled another thing Xie Yanlai had said: "Because this is the capital." Now he was beginning to understand that as well.

Suddenly, he tore open his robe, startling the soldiers beside him.

"General Niu, what are you—" they began, but before they could finish, he strode forward.

The soldiers fell silent, immediately understanding.

"I’ve wanted to do this all along!" one soldier shouted, ripping off his own clothes.

A series of tearing sounds followed as officials who had been watching the commotion ahead turned around in alarm.

"What are you doing?" they shouted. "This is outrageous!"

General Niu declared loudly, "We, the Border Army, stand as one. We join Captain Xie in seeking forgiveness from Your Majesty."

Ignoring the officials, he hurried to catch up with Xie Yanlai.

Behind him, the soldiers surged forward like a tide.

The stomping footsteps drew the onlookers’ attention away from Xie Yanlai to the ten bare-chested soldiers marching proudly toward them, startling the crowd.

"We were the ones who fought!" the soldiers shouted. "We’ve come to confess our crimes too."

Are these the Border Army? Such ruffians!

The capital’s citizens, eager to tease these country bumpkins, jeered again: "No thorns? We’ll give you some!" "Shout a few more times for us—"

The taunts swelled louder than before, crashing like waves.

They wanted to teach these Border Army brutes a lesson—the capital was no place for them to act recklessly.

The wave of noise surged behind him, and Xie Yanlai sensed it but couldn’t be bothered to look back. Let them do as they pleased; he didn’t care.

But just as the clamor rose, it abruptly halted. Xie Yanlai heard denser footsteps behind him.

"Captain Lin!" Several Capital Garrison soldiers grabbed Lin Kun, stopping him from tearing his clothes and moving forward. "Don’t join this mess! That’s the Empress, the Xie family, and the Grand Tutor—"Those rough men of the Border Army had simple minds—seeing punishment as merely punishment. But here in the capital, under the Emperor’s very eyes, they had witnessed too many power struggles—bloodless battles.

Captain Xie’s punishment was no trivial matter. It involved the Xie family, the Grand Tutor, the Empress, and the power play with the Border Army—

Better to avoid trouble.

Lin Kun certainly knew this well, yet he still shook off the soldiers.

"Who cares about all that!" he roared. "We lost the fight, and now our opponent is submitting to punishment while we stand by watching? I, Kun, can’t bear this shame!"

Hearing this, the other soldiers hesitated no longer and tore off their uniforms.

"The winners get punished, and the losers should be punished too!" they shouted. "We acted recklessly, disturbed the people, and now we beg Your Majesty for forgiveness!"

Even with ten more soldiers, their voices couldn’t drown out the crowd, but neither side stirred up further waves.

The onlookers stared blankly, realizing from their words that these were Capital Garrison troops. The earlier commotion had already spread—everyone knew it was a fight between the Border Army and the Capital Garrison.

The Border Army had started the trouble, and now it was their Army Envoy, Xie Yanlai, being punished.

It was understandable for Border Army soldiers to stand by him, but why would the Capital Garrison—

"Not surprising," someone in the crowd remarked. "They were at fault too."

So—

"So what? There are plenty of faults, but the Empress never ordered their punishment," another immediately retorted. "Don’t we all know how slippery these Capital Garrison fellows are?"

If they were at fault but refused to admit it, why would they willingly submit to punishment unprompted?

Were they insane?

What was going on?

What did this mean? The Capital Garrison got beaten, yet now they were acting chivalrous?

Discussions and pointing erupted all around, a buzzing like boiling water—no longer waves that could crash.

Gazes no longer focused solely on Xie Yanlai but shifted behind him. The chaotic footsteps behind him grew too loud to ignore, and he glanced back.

General Niu clenched his fist at him and shouted, "Captain Xie, we’ll take the punishment together!"

"Us too!" Lin Kun yelled.

Xie Yanlai frowned at them. "Are you out of your minds?" Then he turned away without another word, striding forward.

General Niu and Lin Kun paid no heed to his attitude, laughing heartily and puffing out their chests.

The buzzing around them echoed like war drums, matching their steps.

"Look!" a sharp voice suddenly cried.

"At Xie Yanlai’s body!"

His body? All eyes returned to the young man at the front. His bare skin was coated in dust, no longer gleaming, yet it couldn’t conceal his athletic build—

His back was straight, shoulders broad, waist narrow. Though grimy, his muscles were firm, shimmering under the sunlight—

That body was oddly pleasing to the eye.

Women by the street rose on tiptoes, young ladies hid half their faces behind fans, while men snorted in disapproval.

Was this reaction inappropriate? The elders and youngsters standing before the shops hurriedly raised their voices again, reminding, "Ah—so many wounds!"

"Ah, was that gash from a blade?"

"Look, that injury is still fresh!"

Cries from the street echoed in everyone’s ears, redirecting all attention to the young man. Through the dust, they saw the truly ferocious scars marring that handsome physique.

As the severity of those wounds became clear, many gasped in shock."My heavens," Qi Leyun nearly toppled out of the window. "Was his shoulder nearly split open?"

The girls hiding half their faces behind fans widened their eyes, torn between curiosity and fear. "How terrifying."

One girl who had been standing at the back, initially uninterested in the commotion, hurried forward upon hearing about injuries. She excitedly pointed and explained to the others.

"That's a blade wound, at least six months old."

"Fresh wounds are much more frightening—flesh torn open. Now look at the one on his left rib—that's a spear injury. Unlike blade wounds, doesn't it resemble a flower? Spear wounds are more aesthetically pleasing than blade wounds."

Using "pleasing" to describe injuries? The girls were both annoyed and amused. This eccentric came from a family of physicians, but as girls couldn't practice medicine, she could only study privately. She'd originally kept it hidden, afraid the others would shun her. However, since the Chu Garden Literary Gathering where girls freely displayed their talents, she no longer needed to conceal her knowledge.

"I can't tell what's pleasing or not," one girl sighed, pressing a hand to her chest as she stared dazedly at the young man striding down the street. "I've never seen anyone survive so many wounds."

The girls' laughter died away as they watched him, their hearts suddenly growing heavy. Suddenly, one girl tossed a flower she'd been holding, as if trying to use it to cover the gruesome scars on the young man's body.

The flower happened to land on the young man's shoulder—a tiny bloom that concealed nothing, yet it made the alert young man look up.

The slanting spring sunlight bathed his face, his eyes like lake water with shattered sunlight dancing upon them, sparkling with ripples.

His gaze was unfriendly, sharp as a sword piercing through the girls at the window.

For a moment, all the girls held their breath, the street noise fading away until only their own pounding heartbeats remained.

Actually, they had seen Xie Yanlai three years ago. Back then, he was also paraded through the streets, **shirtless, while someone whipped him, each lash splitting his skin. But at that time, they'd only found it frightening and disgusting, with no other thoughts.

Back then, the youth had also lifted his head, meeting the mockery and disdain with a defiant sweep of his eyes.

There had been a fleeting moment of astonishment at his appearance, but it quickly faded—mere superficial beauty.

Three years had passed. The youth had grown up, becoming even more handsome. It wasn't just his appearance now—there was a radiance emanating from within him, dazzling and brilliant.

"At least his face wasn't injured," Qi Leyun murmured.

The crowd on the street also seemed to fall silent, unsure whether they were stunned by the wounds or by his face.

Of course, not everyone was quiet. Voices rose here and there.

"All these wounds—were they all from fighting Western Liang people?"

"He's Border Army—he kills Western Liang bandits—"

"Heavens, with so many injuries, who knows how many fierce battles he's survived."

"The war has been going on for two years—"

"Hero—welcome to the capital—"

Amid the shouts, more flowers were thrown toward the young man.

This time they came from spectators in the street—not fresh flowers, but silk ones, likely just plucked from some woman's hair.

A silk flower landed on Xie Yanlai's back, bounced once, and fell to the ground.

The thrower was a basket-carrying street vendor, her head wrapped in a scarf. This silk flower was her only ornament. As surrounding eyes turned to her, she flushed red, unsure why she had suddenly thrown it."A hero deserves to wear flowers!" came the shouts of women from the windows of the second-floor shops lining the street.

Along with these cries, fresh blossoms and silk flowers were tossed downward. Some landed on Xie Yanlai’s body and head, others on the ground. Wherever they fell, these flowers were like drops of water splashed into hot oil, instantly transforming the once-calm street into a crackling, boiling scene.

"A hero deserves to wear flowers!"

Countless voices echoed all around, though few held fresh flowers in hand. Most were women in the crowd who plucked blossoms from their own hair and threw them—some were ornate, others mere scraps of red silk. Among them were white-haired elderly women and little girls held in their parents’ arms. The children, unaware of the meaning, treated it as a delightful game, gleefully tossing the tiny silk flowers from their hair—their weak throws landing on the heads of those in front, drawing laughter.

Some shop, extravagant in gesture, had assistants carrying baskets full of flowers. The people in the street eagerly snatched them up and threw them toward the young general, who marched shirtless and bearing thorns.

For a moment, the street was like a rain of petals.

"This scene—" remarked a guest seated high in a tower, looking down, "feels familiar."

"And not just once," another chuckled, stroking his beard.

Indeed, not just once. Last year, when His Majesty returned in triumph from the campaign, the streets had been filled with a shower of blossoms. Then, another day, petals had fluttered through the air again. Though it was said to be a spring outing by a group of women, word eventually spread—it was the Empress passing through the streets.

After battling in the north against Western Liang and besieging Prince Zhongshan, the Empress had returned to the capital quietly, without alerting the people or officials.

And now, once more, flowers flew through the streets, falling upon the Xie family son who walked in penitence, bearing thorns.

Was this condemnation—or celebration?

"Heroes and warriors," the first guest declared, picking up a carved radish garnish from his plate and tossing it down. "They deserve celebration!"

More and more flowers were thrown, initially aimed at Xie Yanlai, then at all the soldiers.

"All of them are heroes and warriors."

"Look, they bear wounds too."

The soldiers marching behind Xie Yanlai were both stirred and nervous. This—this was truly unexpected. They had only come to accompany Xie Yanlai in seeking pardon—how had they ended up being praised by everyone?

"Defending the nation and slaying enemies—they are the finest sons of Great Xia!"

"Look at that soldier—he can’t be more than five or six, still a child."

"Look at that one—he has a fresh wound, still bleeding—"

Well, that one was from a recent fight—a sparring match. The soldier being pointed out grew flustered.

"What’s there to panic about? We dared to spar with the heroes of the Border Army—even bleeding is an honor!" Lin Kun said boldly, clapping the soldier on the back. "Straighten your spine—don’t embarrass me—"

As he spoke, he reached out and caught a red silk flower tossed from the street. His sharp eyes found the young woman who had thrown it, and he raised an eyebrow, flashing a charming smile and a wink.

The young woman and the matrons beside her burst into laughter.

Lin Kun tucked the silk flower behind his ear, gazing at the young man ahead, nearly obscured by the floral downpour.

"In all my years, brother has never seen anything this entertaining," he laughed. "Thank you, dear brother."

The chaotic, clamorous shower of petals hung like a curtain, separating the officials standing outside the city gates. Their expressions were complex.

The will of the people? Spontaneous celebration? They didn’t believe it for a moment.

It had to be a scheme by the Xie family. Their mocking gazes converged on the members of the Xie family.Seventh Master Xie had already returned home first, leaving behind several young gentlemen whose faces were alternating between red and pale, uncertain whether from agitation or something else.

"How... how could this be?" Xie Xiao murmured, unable to believe this was a spontaneous public reaction—it was clearly orchestrated by someone.

Who knows how many instigators were hidden among the crowd, stirring up this commotion.

But it wasn't the kind of commotion they had wanted.

Who was behind this?

Their gazes converged on the red-robed eunuch. The old eunuch squinted as if his aged eyes were failing, staring ahead while pointing and gesturing with two younger eunuchs—

"I've never seen such a spectacle in all my years," he said with a laugh. "This assignment has truly opened my eyes."

Fresh flowers, silk flowers, and red ribbons flew chaotically, landing softly on bodies and heads—unlike whips that brought sharp pain.

The roaring waves of noise surged even louder than before, but as they washed over him now, there was no ferocity. Instead, they enveloped him like a spring breeze.

Xie Yanlai looked ahead, his vision somewhat blurred.

He still remembered the last time—on this familiar yet unfamiliar street, walking alone while fierce waves crashed around him, whips striking heavily from behind. Then he lifted his head and saw that girl standing by a second-floor window.

And then she rushed down, spreading her arms to shield him from behind.

"Wait!"

Xie Yanlai closed his eyes. Though she later went to see Xie Yanfang, though many said that girl had ulterior motives—he said so too, and he believed it—this incident indeed offered her something to gain.

But he knew, regardless of what schemes that girl might have plotted afterward, in that moment, the moment she rushed out, she did it to protect him.

Xie Yanlai opened his eyes and looked up. Women's laughter came from the second-floor windows, but she wasn't among them. Yet, she was still protecting him.