In the eyes of Longbu's family, the fall from the carriage had greatly stimulated "Agula," and he became withdrawn again, preferring to sit alone in his wheelchair facing the North Sea, either lost in thought or sleeping.
However, at night, Lu Zhuo would quietly leave the yurt to practice martial arts and restore his body to its peak condition.
Two months later, on a sunny morning with strong winds, Lu Zhuo, as usual, wheeled himself to the shore of the North Sea.
Bao Ya, a kind and warm-hearted girl, worried that Uncle Agula might be cold, brought a blanket to find him.
To her delight, Bao Ya discovered that Uncle Agula had become gentle again today and even smiled.
She then sat beside Uncle Agula's wheelchair, accompanying him as they gazed at the azure waters of the North Sea.
A pair of eagles flew over from the snowy mountains, circling above the North Sea.
Lu Zhuo watched the soaring eagles and said to Bao Ya with a smile, "When I was little, I really wished I could become an eagle. That way, I could go wherever I wanted."
Bao Ya rested her chin on her hands and laughed, "I want to become an eagle too. I want to fly over the snowy mountains and see what lies beyond."
Lu Zhuo didn't look at Bao Ya but kept his eyes on the eagles as he said, "Last night, I dreamed that an eagle came for me. It turned me into an eagle, and we flew away together."
Bao Ya was captivated by his dream and asked what happened next.
Lu Zhuo smiled and replied, "We flew and flew, over the vast grasslands, and I returned to the place where I lived as a child..."
Bao Ya listened intently.
Suddenly, Lu Zhuo paused, touched his throat, and said gently to Bao Ya, "I'm thirsty. Could you fetch me a bowl of water?"
Bao Ya was more than willing.
She ran back cheerfully into the yurt. Her father and brothers had gone herding, while her mother and sister-in-law were sewing winter clothes. As Bao Ya poured water, she told her mother and sister-in-law that Uncle Agula had smiled again. This news brought smiles to their faces too, as they all hoped Agula would become more cheerful.
Once the water was ready, Bao Ya carefully carried the large bowl out of the yurt. But the distant shore of the North Sea was empty, and a familiar wheelchair bobbed up and down on the water's surface.
Bao Ya stared blankly at the wheelchair. After a long, long time, she seemed to finally understand something. The bowl in her hands fell to the ground with a crash and shattered.
The mother and daughter-in-law rushed out in a panic. Seeing the wheelchair on the water, one covered her mouth and wept, while the other shouted loudly to fetch Longbu and his sons.
The family dove into the sea, called for help, and mobilized the entire clan, but they found no trace of Agula in the water.
Longbu asked his daughter what Agula had said during their time together.
Bao Ya tearfully recalled Uncle Agula's words.
The clansmen listened silently and understood: Agula was like an eagle with broken wings. He could not bear life confined to a wheelchair and chose death instead.
While sorting through Agula's belongings, Longbu's wife discovered a letter written on sheepskin.
The letter was brief. Agula expressed his gratitude to the family and specifically told Bao Ya not to grieve for him, as he had become an eagle in the sky. If she ever saw an eagle flying overhead, it would be him returning to visit her.
With heavy hearts, Longbu's family buried Agula. His grave was placed at the edge of the forest on the eastern shore of the North Sea, containing only his clothes.
Lu Zhuo hid deep in the forest, silently watching Longbu's family.Watching Bao Ya sobbing uncontrollably in Longbu's embrace, Lu Zhuo's eyes filled with guilt. Yet he was destined to leave. If the shackled man he encountered that day was truly his father, Lu Zhuo would certainly take his father away with him. By then, if the Khan investigated and found he hadn't died earlier, it would inevitably implicate Longbu's entire family.
Now, Agula had died like a crippled eagle, and no one would suspect anything.
Lu Zhuo hid in the woods. A month later, he trailed a passing Wuda merchant caravan. Under the cover of a windy midnight, he stole two fine horses and returned to the woods.
With horses and his supply of roasted meat jerky, all preparations were complete. On another late night, Lu Zhuo quietly arrived outside the dilapidated yurt situated between two tribes.
Because the punished man wore leg irons and was exiled to this harsh, cold land, Wuda had only assigned a lame wounded soldier to supervise him. Even if the prisoner killed the wounded soldier, the soldier didn't possess the keys. If the prisoner attempted escape while shackled, he would be discovered quickly. Thus, for twenty years, prisoner and guard had maintained an uneasy truce, coexisting without conflict.
The night was deep and windy, the gusts masking deliberately softened footsteps. The lame old man snored thunderously, wrapped in his cotton quilt. The shackled man suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze shifting toward the tent entrance.
A dark figure entered.
The shackled man remained motionless.
The shadow seemed to have identified the occupants of the two bedding rolls inside. He walked directly over and knocked out the lame old man with one punch.
After finishing, the shadow lit the oil lamp on the table. The lamplight first revealed his appearance - a tall, robust man with disheveled hair, a full beard, sun-tanned wheat-colored skin, and a pair of deep, restrained phoenix eyes. The shackled man lying on the bed shared almost identical disheveled hair and bearded appearance with the intruder, except the former was still young while the latter bore the marks of time.
The shackled man hadn't spoken for a very long time. He silently watched the newcomer, waiting for him to speak first.
Lu Zhuo's hands trembled slightly as he looked at the man on the bed, at those phoenix eyes so characteristic of the Lu Family men. It took him a long moment to find his voice: "Divine Martial Army Regulation Seven: Any Divine Martial Army soldier who is captured shall choose death over surrender."
The northern wind howled, nearly drowning out his words.
But the shackled man heard. His previously indifferent demeanor shattered as his breathing suddenly grew ragged, like a fierce beast awakening from long slumber. He leaped up, bloodshot eyes fixed intently on Lu Zhuo: "Who are you?"
The voice of one who hadn't spoken for so long was hoarse, as if mixed with yellow sand, yet he spoke in authentic capital Mandarin.
Lu Zhuo met his gaze: "I am Lu Zhuo."
The beast-like, panting man who seemed ready to erupt into madness at any moment - upon hearing the name "Lu Zhuo" - appeared as if an invisible hand had stripped away all his ferocity. He sat dumbly on the bed, leaving only weathered exhaustion and disbelief. He stared fixedly at Lu Zhuo, his gaze moving from Lu Zhuo's phoenix eyes to his straight nose bridge, then to his tall, slender frame.
"It's born! Congratulations, Young Master - it's a boy!"
"Father has already chosen the child's formal name and courtesy name. You pick the milk name."
"You choose instead. I've never studied much - if I pick something unpleasant, our son might be laughed at."
"You choose. You're his mother. Whether it sounds good or bad, he'll have to live with it.""Then let's call him A Shou for now, and when he grows up we can directly call him Shoucheng, making it easy to transition."
The little boy gradually grew up, his features becoming increasingly refined, resembling a child from a civil official's family.
"Father, I'm tired. May I rest for a while before continuing the horse stance?"
"Persist for another two ke."
"Father..."
"A true man must not learn to act coy like a girl!"
"Yes!"
Later, when he was about to depart for battle, the eight-year-old boy clung tightly to his leg, unwilling to let him go.
"A Shou, don't be afraid. Father will return after the war. When I come back, I'll teach you how to ride a horse."
"Does Father mean it?"
"Of course."
Scalding tears streamed down his weather-beaten face, roughened by wind and sand. Lu Mu supported himself on the bed with both hands, trembling as he stood up, murmuring the name from his memories: "A Shou..."
At this point, Lu Zhuo had no more doubts.
He lowered his gaze, walked up to the man, and knelt with a thud.
Lu Mu embraced his son, his aged face streaked with tears.
Over twenty years—more than twenty years! The sky, water, mountains, and grass of Beihai seemed never to have changed. The cycle of spring, summer, autumn, and winter repeated, each year identical to the last. Everything appeared frozen, with only him living numbly—so numb he nearly forgot who he was, forgot he was aging, forgot time was passing.
Now, his A Shou stood before him. The eight-year-old child was gone, and A Shou had actually become...
Lu Mu lifted his son, parted his disheveled hair with both hands, and tried to see his face clearly.
Both father and son had tear-streaked faces, neither able to see the other clearly.
It was Lu Zhuo who regained composure first. He helped his father sit down, moved the oil lamp aside, sat on the ground, and lifted the shackles on his father's feet to examine them. Any lock could be opened. Lu Mu had no tools, but Lu Zhuo had found a thin iron wire at Longbu's house, which now came in handy.
With the shackles removed, Lu Mu was finally free.
Before leaving, Lu Zhuo killed the lame old man to prevent him from reporting the escape. The later Wuda Khan learned of his father's rescue, the more advantageous it would be for the father and son to return to the border city.
"Shoucheng, how is the family?" Lu Mu asked eagerly as they stealthily made their way toward the forest where the horses were hidden, finally having calmed down.
Lu Zhuo replied succinctly, "Grandfather and grandmother are in good health, and Mother is well too."
Though Lu Mu spoke calmly with his son, his tears never ceased. When he left the capital, his hair was still black; now it was streaked with gray. He felt ashamed before his parents, his beloved wife, and his son.
"Father, don't think too much. Your survival is the greatest filial piety to Grandfather and Grandmother. When Mother sees you, she will surely smile with joy again."
"Good, good. By the way, you're not young anymore. You must have started a family long ago, right?"
"Yes, I married the finest woman in the capital. She has given you a granddaughter, nicknamed A Bao, who turned four this year."
"Good, good. You're still young. After you reunite, have a few more sons."
Lu Zhuo smiled silently.
Sons could wait. Once back in the capital, he would make Wei Rao unable to leave their bed.
Capital.
On the Double Ninth Festival, Wei Rao brought A Bao to the Secluded Manor.
Zhou Huizhen and Zhou Huizhu also brought their children along.
Zhou Huizhu and Zhang Xian had been married for many years and had two sons—the eldest already five years old, the younger three.After Zhou Huizhen and Han Liao separated, she lived at home for two years before being introduced by the imperial consort Little Zhou to marry Jiang Kuo, a young Imperial Guard. Jiang Kuo came from a humble background with no influential connections, relying solely on his exceptional martial skills to join the Imperial Guard. He had a dignified appearance and a resolute, steady character. Although Zhou Huizhen was remarrying, her striking beauty and the tempering of her disposition into gentleness and composure after her previous ordeal made her an ideal match. After their marriage, Jiang Kuo cherished Zhou Huizhen like a precious jewel. Having now experienced the true joy of marital harmony, Zhou Huizhen grew increasingly remorseful over her past naivety and learned to treasure her present happiness all the more.
Zhou Huizhen also gave birth to a son, who had just turned one this year.
A Bao played with her three cousins. The Secluded Manor was spacious enough for them to run around and make noise as they pleased, with matrons keeping an eye on them.
"Since it's the holiday season after all, did you take A Bao back to the Duke's Manor?" Shou An Jun asked with concern, knowing that A Bao had more than one elderly relative who cared for her.
Wei Rao smiled. "I did. I brought A Bao there on the first day of the new year and only picked her up yesterday."
Shou An Jun inquired further, "A Bao stayed until yesterday, but what about you?"
Wei Rao replied candidly, "I joined the Old Madam and He Shi for a meal, then returned to the princess's residence that same day."
Hearing her refer to He Shi as "He Shi," Zhou Huizhen exclaimed in surprise, "Rao Rao, have you truly decided to remarry?"
Living in the capital, she had heard rumors that the Princess of Martial Peace no longer wished to remain a widow and intended to remarry.
Wei Rao laughed. "I've merely ceased to be a daughter-in-law of the Lu Family. As for remarrying, it's not certain. If I meet someone suitable, I might marry again. If not, I'm perfectly content living freely on my own."
Zhou Huizhu hesitated before asking, "Then... when you proposed leaving the family, what did the Duke's Manor say?"
Wei Rao explained, "I moved back to the princess's residence some time ago. Over the past two years, there had been whispers about whether I intended to remarry. I hadn't given it much thought before, but this year the Old Madam asked about my plans. She told me she would support me if I wished to remarry, and He Shi expressed the same sentiment. Since they both felt that way, I saw no point in clinging to the empty title of a Lu Family daughter-in-law and formally severed my marital ties with the Lu Family."
Shou An Jun sighed. "They see how young you are and don't want to hold you back. Besides, your frequent outings and leisurely pursuits don't bother the Duke's Manor, but outsiders never cease their gossip. Rather than letting Shoucheng be repeatedly dragged into discussions and disturbing his peace in the afterlife, it's better to make a clean break."
Wei Rao scoffed. "Peace? Every year when I take A Bao to pay respects to him, I give him a piece of my mind. How could he possibly rest in peace?"
Shou An Jun shook her head helplessly.
"What about A Bao, then?"
Wei Rao said, "A Bao remains a daughter of the Lu Family. She'll stay with me while she's young, and when she grows up, she can choose to live either at the princess's residence or the Duke's Manor—it will be up to her."
Wei Rao had no worries about her daughter.
She loved her daughter deeply, and everyone in the Duke of Yingguo's household adored A Bao as well. No matter where A Bao was raised, neither side of the family would treat her as an outsider.
While the mother and daughter were staying at the Secluded Manor, news of Wei Rao's intention to remarry had already spread throughout the capital.
No one was particularly surprised. Given Shou An Jun's upbringing of the girls in her family, no one had ever expected Wei Rao not to remarry.
Moreover, by now, the common people no longer found anything to criticize about Wei Rao.Back when Wei Rao exposed the Han family's grave crime of colluding with the enemy, she not only avenged the Lu Family but also the wrongfully slain soldiers. Emperor Yuanjia conferred upon her the title of Princess of Martial Peace, a decision the common people accepted wholeheartedly. Now that Wei Rao was simply living as freely as before, and even the Duke of Yingguo's Manor had voluntarily released her to restore her freedom, how could the common people possibly criticize Wei Rao?
Not only was there no criticism, but some even clapped and cheered. Wei Rao was no longer a woman of the Lu Family, which meant others had a chance to marry her!
A princess who had earned military merits and was praised by the people, a princess with a biological mother who was a noble consort and a younger brother who was a prince, a princess as stunning as peonies, peerlessly beautiful and skilled in martial arts, capable of leading troops into battle—such an extraordinary woman could both support her husband and children and bring glory to her husband's family. For a time, every noble family in the capital with eligible sons sent matchmakers to the princess's residence to propose marriage!
"Mother, what are those people here for?The endless stream of matchmakers caught the attention of the young princess A Bao.
Wei Rao smiled and said, "They want to find A Bao a new father. Would A Bao like that?"
A Bao tilted her head and thought for a moment. Her male cousins all had fathers, and her maternal cousins all had fathers too, so she also wanted a father.
"Yes, Mother, find me a father like Fifth Uncle."
A Bao's Fifth Uncle was Lu Che from the third branch of the Lu Family. This year, Lu Che was already twenty-one years old and had replaced Lu Zhuo as the top handsome gentleman of the Duke's Manor. With skin as fair as jade and phoenix eyes full of charm, countless young ladies eagerly hoped to marry him. Even little A Bao knew that Fifth Uncle was the best-looking.
Wei Rao thought her daughter had good taste but shushed her, reminding her never to say such things outside! Back when she had entered into a Marriage to ward off misfortune for Lu Zhuo, it was Lu Che who had welcomed the bride. Now, with Lu Che unmarried and her single, if rumors spread that she had taken a liking to Lu Che, even Lu Zhuo's coffin lid might fly open!
"Besides being good-looking, what other requirements does A Bao have for a new father?" Wei Rao asked amusedly.
A Bao had plenty of requirements: the new father had to play "riding the big horse" with her, buy her delicious treats, and protect her when others bullied her. In short, whatever A Bao had envied in other children, she now blurted out all at once.
As Wei Rao listened, her smile gradually faded.
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