Qiao Chu

The jailer thoughtfully settled Chu Zhao in her cell before ambling off to meet Deng Yi.

Deng Yi had already washed up and changed clothes, and was putting on his robe when he saw him. He immediately tossed over a money pouch.

The jailer caught it with a grin. "I've always admired your habit of never letting debts wait overnight, Lord Deng."

Deng Yi smiled faintly without replying, slowly fastening his belt.

"Lord Deng, this trip must have been exhausting?" The jailer sat down, studying Deng Yi's slightly weary face after washing up. He sighed inwardly—not only was it physically taxing, but Deng Yi would inevitably face repercussions too. "This matter with Miss Chu is troublesome. Everyone avoids even mentioning Chu Ling's name. Why did you volunteer for this assignment?"

Indeed, contrary to what Chu Lan claimed, Deng Yi hadn't been forced into this task—he had requested it himself.

Deng Yi picked up the teacup from the table, swirling it slowly in his hand as he narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't understand."

Chu Ling was no trouble at all. On the contrary, she held a hidden treasure.

By merely accepting this assignment, he had obtained a cartload of gold and jewels from Prince Zhongshan.

......

......

Chu Zhao slept deeply in the prison cell, waking only when daylight streamed in.

The cell arranged by the jailer was indeed decent—even being semi-underground, it still had some light.

A Le was examining the delivered meal, happily telling Chu Zhao, "The prison food is actually quite good!"

Chu Zhao chuckled wryly. No prison was truly "good"—it was just that their meals were decent, thanks to the jailer's care. They weren't truly imprisoned here.

The women's prison had also provided water and a wooden basin. A Le helped Chu Zhao wash up before they sat down to eat.

"But, Miss," A Le voiced her concern again, "are we really in prison now?"

Although she had followed Chu Zhao sneaking out late at night before, and her mistress had done many strange things and traveled through wilderness with strangers, A Le had never felt afraid. Yet now that they were back in the capital, her heart was constantly uneasy. The elder master's family showed no concern for the young mistress and were completely unreliable.

Miss Liang's father held a high official position, but what would happen to her mistress who had no one to rely on in the capital?

"You're overthinking it," Chu Zhao said. "Didn't Uncle Zhong say? My father will handle it. I won't be imprisoned."

A Le slapped her forehead. "How could I forget about the General! How foolish of me! With the General here, and him having said everything will be fine, why should I worry?" With that, she picked up her bowl and began eating heartily.

Chu Zhao smiled, eating slowly from her own bowl. Yes, with her father here, she had nothing to fear. Even after he was gone, he had protected her for many years.

Only after all the people her father left behind had been exhausted did Xiao Xun finally decide to kill her.

And it wasn't just her father—

"A Le," she asked while holding her chopsticks, "have you heard about my mother?"

A Le made a surprised sound. "Miss, don't be sad. Not everyone has a mother—mine died right after giving birth to me too."

She thought her mistress was missing her mother.

Chu Zhao wanted to laugh but found it inappropriate, asking instead, "I mean, what kind of person was she?"

"Oh that," A Le put down her bowl and chopsticks. The story of Chu Zhao's mother wasn't any secret—everyone knew it.

The General had encountered a beautiful village girl, they fell in love, and she voluntarily came to serve him. The General intended to bring her home to meet his elders for marriage, but his military duties kept him from returning. During this delay, before they could marry, the village girl became pregnant and died in difficult childbirth after giving birth to Chu Zhao. The General, with his profound love, never remarried.Chu Zhao naturally knew this story, as her father had told it to her since childhood. Of course, after returning to the capital, she heard a slightly different version from her uncle's family—instead of a tale of mutual affection, it became one of a village girl seducing a general, attempting to cling to wealth through an illicit union without a matchmaker.

Her aunt often sighed and admonished her, "A Zhao, as a woman, you must be cautious in speech and conduct. Do not degrade yourself, or you will come to no good end." "Only matches of equal social standing last." "Shamelessness brings calamity upon three generations of the family."

Coupled with the pointing fingers and private mockery from the young ladies of the capital, the story that once seemed beautiful when her father told it became a source of shame. She no longer wished to mention her mother, even wishing she had never existed.

After becoming Empress, she grew even more sensitive about her origins and forbade anyone from mentioning her mother.

Before her death, Liang Fei came to gloat and, while explaining why His Majesty had married her, mentioned not only her father but also her mother.

"By marrying you, your mother could also be of use to His Majesty."

This clearly implied her mother was still alive—otherwise, how could a dead person be of use to Xiao Xun?

At that time, she had already been poisoned and was withering away, but upon hearing this, she struggled up to seize Liang Fei and demand an explanation. Liang Fei fled in fright, and Chu Zhao, sustained by that last breath, clung to life until a young eunuch strangled her to death.

She thought she would never learn the truth, never expecting to have a chance to start over.

Her father had kept it from her all along. In the letter she had Commander Zhong deliver, she asked directly—she didn’t know if her father would give her an answer.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the quiet cell, interrupting the conversation between mistress and maid.

The female warden approached with a smile and said, "Miss Chu, you may return now."

Chu Zhao did not rise in surprise but asked, "Has my case been resolved?"

The warden laughed. "What case? The Minister of the Guards has already reprimanded Magistrate Deng Yi, saying he was supposed to find you, not arrest you. How could he lock you up here?"

So Deng Yi had indeed been scolded. That was why she had said that by bringing her to the prison, Deng Yi was taking responsibility. Chu Zhao remained seated, uttering an "Oh," then asked, "And what does the Court of Judicial Review say? Didn’t they entrust Magistrate Deng—"

"The Court of Judicial Review stated it wasn’t a case either," the warden explained with a smile. "Your uncle filed a missing person report. Now that you’re back, the matter is closed."

The warden found it strange—the girl seemed reluctant to leave, still sitting and asking questions. This was no place to linger; whatever she needed to ask could be done outside.

Chu Zhao understood. Uncle Zhong had relayed her father’s message that the matter was resolved, and indeed, it had been settled even before her return. How had her father managed it?

Her father was clearly not the idle, survival-driven man she had assumed him to be.

Chu Zhao fell silent but still did not rise immediately. Instead, she finished the food in her bowl before standing up.

Chu Zhao and A Le, carrying their bundles, walked out of the Ministry of the Guards. Deng Yi did not reappear, nor did anyone from her uncle’s family come to fetch them.

"Miss, how do we return?" A Le asked.

Chu Zhao pulled a vermilion hairpin from her hair, twirling it in her hand. This was one she had stolen from her aunt when she left home. Along the journey, it had been used for expenses and gifts—now only this one remained.

"Take it," she said. "Rent two good horses. We’re going home."