Qiao Chu

Deputy General Zhong entered and heard Chu Ling’s murmuring. The burly man’s eyes reddened, and he nearly shed tears.

“Elder Brother,” he choked out, “don’t overthink things. Everything will be fine. We’ve made all the arrangements—”

He grew angry again, wondering just what that A Jiu had said.

“Don’t listen to his nonsense! What does he know?”

Chu Ling smiled at him. “Yes, we’ve made all the arrangements. I’m not worried.” After a pause, he asked, “What did A Zhao say when she met you earlier?”

Deputy General Zhong had only recounted the events and handed over Chu Zhao’s letter. Chu Ling hadn’t asked what Chu Zhao had said—he didn’t need to ask. What could she have said? Nothing more than complaints of grievances, missing her father, and clamoring to return.

But now, Chu Ling suddenly wanted to hear it.

Deputy General Zhong thought for a moment. His meeting with Chu Zhao had been brief, and they hadn’t spoken much, but he still remembered: “The young lady said, ‘Where Father is, that is my home.’ She questioned me, ‘How could you bear to keep me from seeing him? What if I never see him again?’”

Chu Ling fell silent, his gaze fixed on the letter on the table.

Deputy General Zhong sighed. The young lady missed the general, and the general missed her just as much. After all, he had raised her with his own hands from infancy to adulthood.

“Changrong,” Chu Ling called Deputy General Zhong by his given name, “finish handling the matters at hand, then go and bring A Zhao back.”

Deputy General Zhong was stunned. What?

“Elder Brother,” he stepped forward, “we’re about to submit the memorial to His Majesty. Once your illness is no longer concealed, that matter will inevitably come to light. This place will surely descend into chaos and conflict. Bringing the young lady back—”

He lowered his voice, trying to persuade him.

“Didn’t we agree? We wanted the young lady to remain safe and secure at the capital. Once we’ve dealt with matters here, we’ll resign our posts, free of burdens and responsibilities, and return home without any worries.”

Chu Ling nodded. “In truth, even if A Zhao were here, I could still ensure her safety. I sent her back because I didn’t want her to face the turmoil and unrest. But since she’s already unsettled in the capital, she might as well return.”

Ah, that wretched boy A Jiu! What exactly did he say? Deputy General Zhong was both anxious and furious. Wasn’t this just adding to the chaos?

“General, it’s not that simple,” he whispered urgently. “The conflict between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince has escalated from covert to overt. The Zhao and Yang Families dominate the court, and military power is the prize they’re fighting over. If the troops under your command are brought into the open, they will not let it slide.”

Chu Ling smiled faintly. “The struggles of the Yang and Zhao Families in the court have nothing to do with me. But here, if they think they can do as they please, they are mistaken.”

Deputy General Zhong looked at Chu Ling. The man’s stature remained imposing, his presence as steadfast as ever, like a towering mountain.

But inside, this mountain was hollow.

For over a decade, countless injuries had piled up like rocks forming a mountain. Now, those rocks had crumbled, destroying the mountain from within.

“Elder Brother,” he said hoarsely, “the current Your Majesty is not the same as before. He has aged and changed. In recent years, the court has fallen into such disarray, with the two princes causing such turmoil, yet he pays no heed—even encourages it. Elder Brother, when you wrote to His Majesty requesting to resign and asking how to handle the Dragon Guard Army, he ignored you. He forced you to submit a formal memorial to resign. It’s clear he intends to thrust you into the heart of the storm.”If any other officers from Yunzhong Commandery had been present, they would have found it strange. Among the four armies and twenty-three battalions of the Border Commandery, there had never been a unit named the Dragon Guard Army.

Chu Ling raised a hand to shush him.

Deputy General Zhong gritted his teeth and fell silent.

"I shall remain steadfast as a rock," Chu Ling said. "An unyielding rock, indifferent to others and other matters."

Deputy General Zhong clenched his fists.

"Leave these matters to me," Chu Ling said with a smile. "Surely you still trust me?"

Of course he trusted him. Deputy General Zhong grunted in agreement.

"You are the only one I can trust." Chu Ling patted his shoulder, his eyes filled with anticipation. "Go and bring A Zhao back."

Deputy General Zhong sighed helplessly. "I'll go now."

Chu Ling stopped him. "No need. Wait until I submit the memorial."

By then, everyone would know he was gravely ill and nearing death. Bringing his daughter back would only confirm it.

He had initially worried that A Zhao would be heartbroken upon learning the truth, but now he understood that even in her sorrow, being by his side would bring her peace of mind.

Only with peace of mind could she truly live in tranquility, no matter where she was or what circumstances she faced.

"Go to the commandery city in the next couple of days," Chu Ling said. "Deliver gifts of gratitude to those Couriers."

It was really about delivering gifts to that A Jiu, wasn't it? Deputy General Zhong snorted. "What valuable things do we have? Besides, giving lavish gifts to a few Couriers would attract attention. It wouldn't be good if word about A Zhao spreads."

Chu Ling thought for a moment. "Give each of them a pair of straw sandals."

That was indeed inexpensive. Deputy General Zhong breathed a sigh of relief, though he hesitated before asking in a low voice, "A Zhao and this A Jiu—"

What exactly had A Zhao said to A Jiu? How was A Jiu so obedient, even convincing Chu Ling?

Ah, A Zhao hadn't spoken much to him at all.

Were the two of them really at the life-and-death stage, as Tie Ying had said?

Chu Ling laughed. "Don't overthink it. A Zhao and this A Jiu have no relationship whatsoever." He paused, then added, "If I had to define it, it would be something like... shared sorrow for kindred suffering."

What kind of relationship was that? Deputy General Zhong was even more confused.

"Go and rest now," Chu Ling said, noticing the deputy general's chapped lips. He hadn't even sat down since returning. "We can talk more tomorrow."

Deputy General Zhong, seeing the red streaks in Chu Ling's eyes, snapped back to reality. "It's late. You should rest soon too, Brother." He pointed at the desk. "No more reading."

Chu Ling nodded. Deputy General Zhong left, and the room fell silent again as the night deepened. The guards extinguished the lamps one by one, urging Chu Ling to rest.

Chu Ling looked at the two letters on the desk. He casually tossed Young Master Xie the Third's letter into the brazier, where it burst into sparks and turned to ash. He smoothed out Chu Zhao's letter, intending to put it away, but couldn't resist opening it again.

All the lamps in the room had been extinguished except for one on the desk, casting a dim glow on the letter in Chu Ling's hand.

His gaze fell on the last line.

He had only told Deputy General Zhong half of it earlier. He said Chu Zhao had asked about her mother, and the deputy general assumed she was referring to people mocking her deceased mother's background. But that wasn't the case.

In her letter, Chu Zhao wasn't questioning her mother's background. Instead, she asked, "Is my mother still alive?"

Chu Ling slapped the letter back onto the desk with a sharp crack, blew out the last lamp, and plunged himself into the darkness.

The matter had been handled cleanly back then. Few in the Border Commandery knew the details, and almost no one in the capital was aware. Over a decade had passed—why was Chu Zhao suddenly asking about this now?Who told her that her mother was still alive?

Did she hear something, like who her mother was?

……

……

As light emerged on the horizon, the military camp in Yunzhong County grew lively. A Jiu kept her head down while carrying a bucket of water, weaving through the crowd. No one paid her any attention along the way, and she soon reached the door, pried it open, and slipped inside.

Old Hei was still unconscious.

A Jiu ignored him, took off her clothes, and had just changed into her own when she heard urgent knocking at the door.

"A Jiu, A Jiu."

"Old Hei, Old Hei."

A Jiu rolled onto the bed and, in one swift motion, kicked Old Hei off.

Old Hei fell to the floor with a thud, waking up dazed. Before he could gather his senses, the door was forced open. Zhang Gu covered his nose and mouth at the smell of alcohol in the room.

"Old Hei, how much did you drink?" He glanced at Old Hei sitting on the floor, then hurriedly looked at A Jiu on the bed. Seeing him facing inward, sleeping soundly with only heavy snoring and no other unusual signs, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Old Hei rubbed his head, still dizzy. "Not much, I suppose. This kid can't hold his liquor."

Zhang Gu grabbed him. "Come on, come out with me. Let him sleep properly—"

He dragged Old Hei along, who picked up his scattered clothes from the floor and wrapped himself up before stumbling out with Zhang Gu, remembering to close the door behind them.

The morning clamor of the camp was shut out, and A Jiu on the bed relaxed completely.

Everything was finally done. No more attachments.

He let out a deep sigh and this time truly fell into a heavy sleep.