No matter what they joked about, Xie Yanlai ignored it all, eyes forward, turning a deaf ear—until someone said, “Yanlai, you and Miss Chu really have a good relationship.”
Xie Yanlai’s head whipped toward that person: “Are you blind? Where do you see that she and I have a good relationship?”
The man said blankly: “Well, it seems quite good—chatting and laughing—”
“I chat and laugh with everyone I meet!” Xie Yanlai raised his eyebrows. “I joke around even more with Commandant Qi—do I have a good relationship with him?”
The Imperial Guard went “oh” at this. That was true—Xie Yanlai was rather unlikeable and didn’t have particularly good relationships with anyone. But unfortunately, his family background was impressive, his elder brother Master Xie Three had a great reputation, and Xie Yanlai himself was extremely sharp and slippery. Though people resented him, they couldn’t catch him in wrongdoing, so the superior officers could only tolerate him.
This guard was momentarily stumped, but the other Imperial Guards remained clear-headed and laughed: “How can men and women be the same? Yanlai, you treat Miss Liang and Miss Chu differently.”
Xie Yanlai scoffed: “How are they different? She’s also not as good-looking as me.”
The Imperial Guards roared with laughter.
Xie Yanlai galloped ahead amid the laughter. But there was something more different—if that girl heard him say she wasn’t as good-looking as him, what would she do?
She wouldn’t cry or feel ashamed and hide from people. She would only run over with a smile and say, “So what? Didn’t you still fall for my trick?”
Xie Yanlai couldn’t help looking back. The girl’s carriage had become a black dot on the main road, with the glow of sunset beyond.
So late—why was she still running around outside the city?
Didn’t she know how unpopular she was?
……
……
“This A’Jiu is really annoying!”
A’Le huffed, then shook her head smugly.
“From now on, we don’t need him anymore. We don’t have to curry favor with him.”
Chu Zhao smiled: “What are you saying? When we needed him, we never curried favor with him either.”
“But Miss, you protected him from getting beaten and made medicine for him,” A’Le said with raised eyebrows.
“That was encouragement,” Chu Zhao said.
A’Le laughed heartily.
Just as the last rays of sunset disappeared, they arrived at the Capital Guard Camp. Perhaps because of Master Xie Three, after giving their names, the heavily guarded Capital Guard Camp quickly made arrangements for her to meet her father’s men.
Unfortunately, she didn’t get to see Uncle Zhong.
The four soldiers weren’t strangers—both Chu Zhao and A’Le could call them by name.
“Vice Commander Zhong took people into the city to the Ministry of War,” they explained. “He’ll also visit some old friends and stay in the capital tonight, which will be more convenient for visiting you tomorrow, Miss.”
So that was it. Vice Commander Zhong wanted to see her as soon as possible, and she wanted to see Uncle Zhong too, but they had missed each other.
“Good, I’ll wait for him at home,” Chu Zhao said, then signaled A’Le. “Quick, bring out the things for the uncles.”
A’Le hurriedly brought bundles from the carriage: “We heard the news so suddenly, there wasn’t time to choose properly. We just bought some things by the roadside.”
The soldiers smiled as they accepted, thanking the young miss for her thoughtfulness: “We don’t lack anything. At the Capital Guard Camp—no, actually all along this journey, thanks to Miss’s blessings, we haven’t suffered the slightest grievance.”
What? Chu Zhao laughed heartily: “Uncles really know how to talk.”
“It’s not that we know how to talk—Miss A’Zhao, you truly are remarkable,” the soldiers said with expressions both touched and proud. “Miss A’Zhao is indeed the General’s daughter. Coming to the capital alone, you still carved out your own domain.”
Chu Zhao smiled but nearly shed tears. How was she remarkable? She had lost one life, lost everyone’s lives, to get to today—
“Uncles,” she said with a tearful smile, “I will become even more remarkable.”
A’Le nodded along: “Following Miss from now on, everyone will eat well, drink well, and not be bullied.”
The soldiers all smiled and said in unison: “Thank you, Miss.”
Since Vice Commander Zhong wasn’t there and it was getting late, the soldiers urged Chu Zhao to head back quickly to avoid being delayed entering the city and getting locked outside.
“Tomorrow Commander Zhong has important matters to discuss with Miss,” they said with smiles.
Chu Zhao didn’t linger and said: “Uncles come to the house too. I’ll host everyone at Chu Garden.”
The soldiers again responded in unison, watching as Chu Zhao and A’Le got in the carriage, seeing off the girl’s carriage.
Chu Zhao held up the curtain to look back. The figures standing in farewell disappeared into the night. She withdrew her gaze to look ahead, without the slightest sadness, only anticipation.
Tomorrow, she could see Uncle Zhong.
The day after tomorrow, she could go home with Uncle Zhong.
The day after that, she could see Father.
Expectation, hope—they truly made one happy. She raised her hand and called out loudly into the night.
A’Le laughed heartily and also howled a couple times.
Clear laughter from the girls rang out on the main road shrouded in night.
……
……
The hunting ground shrouded in night was even livelier than during the day.
Xiao Yu held a bamboo tube, blocked at the outer edge of the noisiest area.
Inside, burly strongmen wrestled while the Crown Prince sat among them, joining everyone in cheering. Beside them, countless singing and dancing girls sat in attendance.
Such a scene wasn’t suitable for children to approach.
“How much longer until Father finishes the banquet?” he could only ask longingly.
Eunuch Zhu said respectfully: “Soon, soon.”