Chapter 42

The twelfth day of the ninth lunar month was an auspicious day.

On this day, Bright Moon Island was adorned with festive lanterns and colorful streamers, accompanied by the deafening sounds of gongs, drums, and firecrackers. It was the joyous wedding day of the First Chief, Lu Wenting, and the Second Chief, Xing Chulian.

Having passed through the crucible of life and death, the young couple had fallen deeply in love. Hand in hand, they knelt before the portrait of Xing Fannian, kowtowing in solemn vows to remain inseparable through life and death for all eternity.

Every man, woman, child, and elder on Bright Moon Island came to offer their congratulations. They all sincerely blessed the two leaders with a lifetime of happiness and a bond that would last until their hair turned white.

In the ceremonial hall, the Third Chief, Xiao Guimu, dressed in a dazzling new red gown, sat in the seat of honor as the official wedding witness.

A young man caught sight of her and shouted loudly, "Third Chief, you look even more beautiful than the bride today! Are you thinking of getting married yourself?"

Loud laughter erupted from the crowd.

Purple Rose kicked him in the rear and scolded, "Even if the witness wanted to get married, it wouldn't be your turn! What are you stirring up trouble for?"

Realizing it was Purple Rose, the young man rubbed his backside and grinned cheekily, "Elder Sister Zi, does that mean it will be my turn when you want to get married?"

Purple Rose raised her foot high into the air and snapped, "Wretched creature, how dare you flirt with your little stepmother! Take this!"

Crying out for mercy, the young man ducked through the crowd and went off to drink.

In the main hall, several unmarried "Rose Girls" dressed in brilliant attire served as bridal attendants, clustering around the bride Xing Chulian while their eyes covertly searched the crowd for handsome young men.

On this day, Purple Rose and Red Rose were responsible for the wedding security. In addition to maintaining order at the celebration venue, they also had to patrol the island. During the patrol, for reasons unknown, the figure of Gu Yusheng kept floating into Purple Rose's mind.

Perhaps it was pure coincidence.

On this very same twelfth day of the ninth lunar month, far away at the Xie Family Ravine, hunter Old Man Xie's home was also brilliantly decorated and brimming with festive joy.

This time, Xie An was truly getting married.

The bride was Guan Yi from the Silt Lake Stronghold. Somewhat unexpectedly, Guan Yi had previously followed Zhao Chuoyun away from the ravine's post station to the Silt Lake Stronghold precisely because she refused to marry the mountain boy. She had wanted to marry a man from the capital.

Why had she now agreed to marry Xie An?

As it turned out, the day Qi Yaoyao brought her sworn brother Xie An to the Silt Lake Stronghold, she had stated her purpose to Zhao Chuoyun, which had infuriated Zhao Chuoyun. Zhao Chuoyun had rebuked Qi Yaoyao, saying, "Yaoyao, do you take Zhao Chuoyun for a matchmaker? You have miscalculated! Every single young woman here is a person of lofty ideals. They are waiting here for the imperial court's trumpet call for the Northern Expedition, not waiting to get married."

Qi Yaoyao quickly explained, "Uncle-master Chuoyun, you misunderstand Yaoyao! My sworn brother and I came here simply to ask for your help, not to force any of your maidens! Look at my sworn brother Xie An—he is a man of striking appearance, and his archery can pierce a willow leaf at a hundred paces. He will surely be a great general in the future! How could he ever worry about failing to find a wife?" With that, she pushed Xie An forward before Zhao Chuoyun.

Only then did Zhao Chuoyun begin to appraise Xie An.

Xie An was tall and strongly built, with broad, rounded shoulders and a high, protruding chest—a rugged and uninhibited man. His facial features were handsome, save for a complexion somewhat darkened by the sun.

As she looked at him, Zhao Chuoyun began to feel a measure of approval. She asked, "Are you a hunter?"

Xie An nodded.

Zhao Chuoyun asked, "Why are you in such a hurry to marry?"

Standing straight, Xie An replied, "Reporting to the Princess, my parents are advanced in years, and I wish to take a wife to care for them at home."

With a faint smile, Zhao Chuoyun asked, "Is that all?"

Xie An answered, "Xie An is the only son of his family, and I wish to father a son to continue our lineage..."

Zhao Chuoyun nodded and asked further, "Can you truly pierce a willow leaf at a hundred paces with your archery?"

Xie An nodded.

Zhao Chuoyun asked, "Would you be willing to demonstrate?"

Xie An nodded.

Delighted, Zhao Chuoyun said, "If your archery is truly that miraculous, young man, I will present you with a capable wife!" She waved to a messenger girl and instructed, "Pass down the word: this afternoon at the Hour of Shen, all the maidens are to gather at the drill grounds to watch the hunter Xie shoot!"

It was not yet noon, and there were still more than two hours before the Hour of Shen.

Yet the maidens in the stronghold were thrown into a frenzy...

Those with unfinished chores rushed to complete them;
Those who were out rushed back before the Hour of Shen;
Those without clean clothes to wear frantically washed and dried them. Those who truly had no suitable clothes to wear in public were forced to borrow a set from their close sisters.

As the saying goes, "Men and women working together do not tire." With over four hundred women of similar age working in the Silt Lake Stronghold every day, it would be a lie to say they were not exhausted. They all yearned for men. Not long ago, Instructor Li Muwen had finally arrived, but he was like a steely weight inseparable from its scale—always shadowed by his partner Jiang Hong, leaving the maidens green with envy.

Today, a genuine bachelor had arrived for matchmaking. Although he was a hunter, he was a handsome man. Every maiden had a one-in-four-hundred chance—how could their hearts not blossom with joy?

At noon, the boundless, sparkling blue waters surrounding the stronghold echoed with the cheerful songs and laughter of the maidens, who were bathing in the lake.

By the Hour of Shen, over four hundred maidens stood neatly aligned on the drill grounds.

Zhao Chuoyun had her attendants move the target to a distance of one hundred paces.

Xie An said, "Please move it back another twenty paces."

Zhao Chuoyun glanced at him and shouted, "Move it back another twenty paces—a total of one hundred and twenty paces."

Xie An stood behind the baseline, holding his bow in his left hand with his feet apart. With his right hand, he drew a silver-feathered arrow from the quiver at his back, nocked it to the string, and pulled the bow back with a powerful sweep. With a *swish*, the feathered arrow flew straight into the bullseye. Before the maidens could even cry out in astonishment, his right hand drew another arrow from his back, swiftly nocked it, and loosed it with another *swish*. The second arrow struck the tail of the first, driving the front arrow out and sending it falling to the ground ahead, while the second arrow embedded itself firmly in the dead center of the target.

*Swish*—
*Swish*—
*Swish*—

Ten arrows were loosed in rapid succession, the entire sequence clean and decisive.

Thunderous applause erupted across the drill grounds, lingering for a long time.

Standing upon the commander's platform, Zhao Chuoyun called out loudly, "Sisters, this master archer is a hunter from Xie Family Ravine, and he wishes to choose a wife from among our Silt Lake Stronghold. Which of you is willing to marry him?"

For a long moment, no one spoke.

"I am willing..." came the voice of Guan Yi.

Zhao Chuoyun asked, "Guan the Sluggard, isn't he just a mountain boy?"

Guan Yi replied, "If a mountain boy moves to the capital to live, he can become a capital citizen!"

This completely exceeded Zhao Chuoyun's expectations. She had intended to select a kind-hearted, diligent maiden from among her subordinates for Xie An, but she never imagined that Guan Yi would be the first to step forward and express her willingness to marry him. Caught entirely off guard, Zhao Chuoyun scolded under her breath, "That wretched Guan the Sluggard!"

Following the demonstration, Xie An and Guan Yi officially met face-to-face. Outwardly, Xie An appeared to be a rough-hewn man, but inwardly he possessed a tender and affectionate soul. Seeing that Guan Yi was tall, graceful in bearing, and light in her movements—and though slightly older, appearing no different from a young maiden—especially her bright eyes beneath willow-leaf brows and her rosy lips, his heart fluttered uncontrollably. He silently praised to himself, "Guan Yi is far more beautiful than my sworn sister Qi Yaoyao!" Overjoyed with satisfaction, he took his leave of Zhao Chuoyun and returned alone to Xie Family Ravine to announce the good news to his parents.

After the grand ceremonies concluded, Zhao Chuoyun reluctantly began preparing Guan Yi's dowry, realizing only then that she had long since regarded Guan Yi as her own daughter.

In the assembly hall, Zhao Chuoyun was watching Quan Niannian and several needle-skilled seamstresses stitch the bridal garments. Third Master Quan Niannian was not only skilled at painting portraits of men but was also a fashion designer. The charming dress Zhao Chuoyun wore on all her outings had been designed and tailored by Quan Niannian.

Qi Yaoyao walked into the hall with an excited expression and said, "Uncle-master Chuoyun, I just came from younger brother Muwen's place. He said that after attending elder brother Xie An and Sister Guan Yi's wedding, he and Jiang Hong will return to the capital with me..."

Before Qi Yaoyao could finish, Zhao Chuoyun shouted angrily toward the doorway, "Someone come! Drag that swindler Qi Yaoyao out of the stronghold!"

Astonished, Qi Yaoyao asked, "Uncle-master Chuoyun, why do you call Yaoyao a swindler, and why do you want to have me driven out?"

Quan Niannian laughed and said, "Wife of Imperial Censor Gu, you've gotten yourself into big trouble! The moment you arrived at the stronghold, you inexplicably cheated away our elder sister's best 'sister.' Furthermore, Instructor of Horse-spears Li Muwen and his wife—whom we had such a hard time 'acquiring'—had already planted their roots deep in the Silt Lake Stronghold, but your arrival has made them not only eager to leave, but as impatient as arrows leaving a bowstring! Tell me, aren't you hateful?"

Hearing this, Qi Yaoyao hastily curtsied with a smile and said, "If that's the case, Yaoyao is indeed hateful! Uncle-master Chuoyun, Yaoyao was young and ignorant and made you angry! Yaoyao offers her apologies here and now!" With that, she exaggeratedly performed a kowtow of apology toward Zhao Chuoyun.

Zhao Chuoyun let out a chuckle, "Is an apology all it takes?"

Qi Yaoyao smiled and asked, "What more do you want?"

With a sly smile, Zhao Chuoyun replied, "Teach me the 'Returning Arrow' technique that Gu Yusheng taught you."

A troubled look crossed Qi Yaoyao's face as she said, "That is a unique family secret of the Gu family and is never passed on to outsiders..."

"...You won't teach me? Sisters, quickly drag this wretched girl out of the stronghold!"

"No, no, no! Uncle-master Chuoyun, I'll teach you, all right?..."

As Quan Niannian sewed the wedding garments while listening to the verbal sparring between aunt and niece, her ample bosom shook with laughter so hard she nearly dropped her work to the floor.

...

The festive firecrackers crackled and popped.

The bride and groom had completed their wedding bows and were escorted into the bridal chamber.

At the banquet, Third Uncle, a close neighbor of the Xie family, raised his cup and asked Old Man Xie loudly, "May I ask, Old Man Xie, is the wedding feast you're serving this time for real?"

Beaming with a radiant face, Old Man Xie stepped closer and said, "Third Uncle, drink to your heart's content today! This time, it's a real wedding feast!"

Teasingly, the neighbor asked, "Will it be like last time, halfway through changing into a sworn-sibling toast?"

Chuckling merrily, Old Man Xie replied, "Not anymore! If they were to become sworn siblings, it would have to be Xie An and his wife Guan Yi!"

Loud laughter filled the air.

Pointing to the dowry displayed in the hall, Old Man Xie said, "Third Uncle, look at that dowry! Such a grand display! To tell you the truth, for this match our Xie family not only hired a matchmaker, but we followed every ancient ritual—from the proposal, inquiring about the name, consulting the oracle, presenting betrothal gifts, to choosing the wedding date—before officially welcoming the bride today." He counted off the steps on his fingers.

Approvingly, the neighbor remarked, "Now *that* is what you call a marriage."

Old Man Xie spoke nothing but the truth. Indeed, the wedding was a grand affair. Because Zhao Chuoyun had long viewed Guan Yi as her own daughter, the wedding could truly be described as "a princess marrying off her daughter." In addition to preparing a generous dowry, Zhao Chuoyun ordered all the maidens in the stronghold to escort the bride on her wedding day.

Qi Yaoyao had returned to Xie Family Ravine ahead of time, while Horse-spear Instructor Li Muwen and Jiang Hong escorted the bridal procession to the ravine and attended the ceremony.

At the wedding, at Zhao Chuoyun's earnest request, Li Muwen served as the bride's witness.

The rare and festive celebration echoed through the ravine for an entire day.

Late into the night.

The mountain boys who had teased the bridal chamber finally returned to their respective homes with lingering joy to dream their youthful dreams.

Inside the bridal chamber, the bride and groom were savoring the proudest moments of their lives.

In the guest quarters of the Xie household stayed Li Muwen and Jiang Hong. The following day, Qi Yaoyao, Li Muwen, and Jiang Hong were to set off for the capital, so Li Muwen and Jiang Hong lodged at the Xie home for the night.

Yet lying on his bamboo bed, Li Muwen felt not an ounce of sleepiness. Figuring it was perhaps due to the excitement of the day, he got up and walked out of his room.

Looking up, he noticed that the moonlight tonight was exceptionally bright.

He strolled over to a large boulder on the hillside. Its top was wide and flat; earlier in the day, when he had stolen a moment of leisure, he had sat upon it for an entire hour. The autumn sunlight had warmed the stone thoroughly, making it wonderfully comfortable to sit upon. Li Muwen climbed up, tested the surface with his hand, and found it slightly cool with a touch of morning dew. He spread his handkerchief over it and sat down.

Looking around, he found the night scenery of the ravine breathtaking: surrounding him were dense groves of bamboo, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. Layer upon layer of overlapping mountain peaks were vaguely discernible. All the birds in the bamboo forest had fallen asleep, leaving only the chirping of insects. The mountain night was enchantingly quiet, filling Li Muwen's heart with a sweet warmth that reminded him of his coastal hometown.

That year when he was observing mourning rites in his hometown, it was also on a night like this that he had walked out of his house to the rocks by the sea. Aside from insect chirping, the seaside nights were filled with the sound of ocean waves. His hometown nights were equally enchanting, yet far from peaceful, plagued as they were by Japanese pirates. In the yamen of the Surveillance Commissioner in Yangcheng, there were no pirates, but the household was far too crowded and noisy, offering no peace at night either. Was his aging father, the Surveillance Commissioner, still alive? A short while ago, he had dreamed of his father's passing, with his mother calling for him to return home for the funeral—what an unfilial son he was, actually dreaming of his father's death!

"Where is she—Xiao Guimu—now?" Li Muwen muttered to himself. He suddenly found himself ridiculous; the entire purpose of his thousands-of-li journey to Jingnan was to see her, yet in the end, he had failed!

Li Muwen thought to himself, "Had I known it would come to this, I never would have listened to Uncle-master Zhao Chuoyun. Even if it meant death, I should have gone to the Jingnan military camp to see her..."

"Who are you longing to see?" came Jiang Hong's voice as she sat down beside him. She was a considerate and attentive wife.

"Why aren't you sleeping and wandering out here? We have to travel tomorrow," Li Muwen said, taking Jiang Hong's hand.

"You aren't sleeping either!" Jiang Hong rested her head on her husband's shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her waist from behind.

Li Muwen whispered into her ear, "Let me ask you something: I plan to return to Yangcheng to finish my studies and take the military examinations. What about you? Will you return to your home at the Jiang Family Inn, or come back to Yangcheng with me?" At that moment, he still believed his family home was in Yangcheng!

In Jiang Hong's heart, Li Muwen *was* her home. Wherever he went, her home was there. The Jiang Family Inn was her maiden home, the place where she was raised, but she was now a married woman—water splashed out could not be gathered back. Returning to the Jiang Family Inn now would be visiting her maiden home, not returning to her own house.

Hesitating for a moment, she smiled and said, "I'll go back to Yangcheng with you this time!"

In a serious tone, Li Muwen said, "But my family is large, and there are many rules. I'm afraid you won't be able to bear it." In truth, the Li family was no longer in Yangcheng, but in the ancient coastal town.

Feigning a frown, Jiang Hong said, "That indeed is a big problem! But I suppose with you at home, along with a kind mother-in-law, I will slowly adapt."

Pulling Jiang Hong closer, Li Muwen said softly, "With you at home preparing ink and adding fragrance to my study, I will be able to calm my mind and truly master the military treatises of Sun Tzu and Wu Qi."

Jiang Hong teased, "Is that so? But just a moment ago I heard someone muttering to themselves: 'Even if it means death, I still want to see her'!"

"You..." Li Muwen released her hand and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Jiang Hong stood up as well.

"Back to the room to sleep." Li Muwen leaped off the boulder.

"Your handkerchief..." Jiang Hong bent down to pick up the handkerchief and closely followed him down from the rock...

Late at night on Bright Moon Island.

Perhaps it was coincidence, but tonight Xiao Guimu also found it difficult to sleep. She walked leisurely alone along the sandy beach. The autumn night sea breeze was pleasantly cool, gently brushing against her cheeks wave after wave, filling her heart with incomparable comfort and ease.

Today, the wedding of First Chief Lu Wenting and Second Chief Xing Chulian had been a spectacle of extraordinary bustle. It was said that such a grand wedding had never before been witnessed on Bright Moon Island—it was entirely Xiao Guimu's creation. As the Third Chief, she had naturally served as the witness for the First and Second Chiefs' wedding. Yet after the ceremony, Xiao Guimu still found the whole thing rather amusing.

"For an unmarried maiden like myself to become someone else's wedding witness—how ridiculous!" Xiao Guimu laughed out loud.

Looking into the distance, she saw the bright moonlight spilling over the pristine white sand, making the beach resemble a silver-white crescent moon. The seawater danced, and gentle waves lapped against the shore, producing music-like sounds.

Walking along the coastline, Xiao Guimu was suddenly reminded of that stretch of sea at the Yangzhou salt pans. When she was a child, under the moonlight, she and Elder Sister Yuru would often go beach-combing, and sometimes her mother joined them. Gu Yusheng never went beach-combing; he only knew how to eat. Yet whenever she went beach-combing, she would often catch sight of Gu Yusheng's figure lingering not far behind her.

"What is he busy with right now?" Xiao Guimu smiled involuntarily. "In the middle of the night, of course he's sleeping! Perhaps right now he's holding his wife—the Second Miss—and dreaming sweet dreams."

Looking around, Xiao Guimu felt that the night scenery of Bright Moon Island was hardly inferior to the sea at the salt pans; both possessed an enchanting tranquility.

"He's already someone else's dish!" she shook her head and muttered to herself.

"Who's someone else's dish?"

Startled, Xiao Guimu turned around to find her younger cousin, Purple Rose. Giving her a sideways glare, Xiao Guimu scolded, "Wretched girl! You gave me a fright! Shouldn't you be patrolling? What are you doing running over here?"

Stepping closer, Purple Rose said, "Sister, I happened to patrol to this beach and saw you walking alone in the moonlight from afar. I've been following behind you for a long time."

Chiding her playfully, Xiao Guimu said, "Did you deliberately mean to scare me to death? You came over without making a sound."

Purple Rose replied, "I made sounds, but you ignored me! ...Hey, Sister, what were you thinking about so deeply? Could it be that seeing others get married has made you miss your white-robed gentleman?"

Purple Rose stared intently at her cousin, causing Xiao Guimu to lower her head in embarrassment. Suddenly, the image of Li Muwen flashed through Xiao Guimu's mind—that fleeting glimpse of him on the streets of Yangcheng. For reasons unknown, her heart instantly grew warm and comfortable. Raising her head, she said to Purple Rose, "Little Sister Zi, he is my betrothed. If Sister doesn't miss him, who else is there to miss?"

With an expression of exaggerated astonishment, Purple Rose exclaimed, "Really? But someone just said he was already someone else's dish."

Xiao Guimu retorted, "No! *That* 'he' is not *this* 'he'!"

Purple Rose pressed, "What 'this he' and 'that he'? Zi knows that Sister's heart is completely filled with 'him'!"

Xiao Guimu scolded, "Silly girl, talking in riddles! ...Enough about my 'he,' what about *your* 'he'?"

With eyes full of longing, Purple Rose slowly recounted, "He is handsome and dashing, his stone-throwing is passable, and he is refined when eating rabbit meat..."

Before Purple Rose could finish, Xiao Guimu interrupted, "You mean the person who shared a wild rabbit with you and Red Rose on the outskirts of the capital that year? Just for sharing a wild rabbit, you've remained infatuated with him ever since?"

"No! He also risked losing his head to escort me and Elder Sister Red safely out of the capital overnight!"

With a trace of envy, Xiao Guimu asked, "Who is he?"

With a look of regret, Purple Rose sighed, "In our hasty parting, I forgot to ask his honorable surname and given name! However, he did say he was the leader mentioned in the *Military Legacy Manual*, and his home is at Osmanthus Garden in the capital."

Shocked, Xiao Guimu gasped, "Good heavens, is it Gu..." She instantly checked herself.

With wide eyes, Purple Rose asked, "What? Sister, you know him?"

Shaking her head, Xiao Guimu lowered her voice and said, "I don't know him!"

On the third morning, a large vessel—a grand Fuchuan junk—was moored at the pier of Bright Moon Island.

Red festive ribbons were hung across the grand ship, for this was the vessel that the newlyweds Lu Wenting and Xing Chulian were taking for their honeymoon journey.

The pier was packed with people—men and women, old and young—all commoners of Bright Moon Island who had rushed over early in the morning to bid them farewell.

Everyone held a bowl of wine in their hands, while Purple Rose, Red Rose, and the other Rose Girls carried large wine jars in their arms, pouring wine into everyone's bowls. Today was the day the bride Xing Chulian returned to her maiden home. Bright Moon Island was both her husband's home and her maiden home, and the islanders were all her paternal family. The wine drunk today served simultaneously as a farewell cup and a welcome-home toast.

At the front of the pier stood a round table, around which Lu Wenting, Xing Chulian, and Xiao Guimu were seated, seemingly discussing something.

Lu Wenting picked up a bowl of wine, stood up, scanned the crowd, and said in a ringing voice, "Brothers and sisters of Bright Moon Island, thank you all for coming to the pier to see my wife and me off!"

Someone in the crowd shouted, "First Chief Lu, you just got married, why are you leaving Bright Moon Island?"

Lu Wenting replied, "Brother, the Second Chief and I are going to Temasek for our honeymoon!"

The person asked again, "Why go all the way to Temasek for a honeymoon? That place is over ten thousand li away from Bright Moon Island, far too distant!"

Lu Wenting explained, "Temasek holds our investments, and eighty percent of Bright Moon Island's overseas trade revenue comes from Temasek. Therefore, the Second Chief and I wish to take the opportunity of our honeymoon to go and inspect operations there."

The person persisted, "If you and the Second Chief leave, what will become of us?" Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd, creating a wave of commotion.

Lu Wenting placed his wine bowl on the round table, took Xiao Guimu by the hand, and walked with her to the highest point of the pier. "Brothers and sisters, please quiet down!" The commotion subsided.

Lu Wenting continued, "Brothers and sisters, after the Second Chief and I leave Bright Moon Island, all affairs on the island will be managed by Third Chief Xiao Guimu. She is capable, resourceful, and wise in her methods; both the Second Chief and I trust her implicitly. With her here on Bright Moon Island, you can all rest easy!"

A cheer rose from the crowd.

Lu Wenting led Xiao Guimu back to the round table, picked up a bowl of wine, handed it to Xiao Guimu, and picked up another for himself. Facing her, he said, "Sister Guimu, Bright Moon Island is now entrusted to you. I, Lu Wenting, have one more favor to ask."

Xiao Guimu asked, "What is it?"

Lu Wenting said, "Our brothers and sisters on Bright Moon Island are all descendants of General Wuwu's subordinates, and all of us harbor lofty ambitions for national unification. If the imperial court becomes enlightened in the future and launches a Northern Expedition, and if they are needed to contribute, lead them forth to establish glory and achievements!"

Visibly hesitant, Xiao Guimu said, "This matter..."

Earnestly, Lu Wenting pleaded, "Just promise me!"

At that moment, Xing Chulian also walked over with a bowl of wine and said, "Sister Guimu, this has always been my father's deepest wish."

Xiao Guimu looked around at the sea of expectant gazes. She glanced at Xing Chulian, then at Lu Wenting, and finally said, "Very well! I promise you all!"

In truth, Lu Wenting was a man of noble character. Knowing that Xiao Guimu possessed superior administrative skills for running Bright Moon Island, he was deliberately stepping aside to let someone more capable take the helm.

After arriving in Temasek, Lu Wenting and Xing Chulian settled down and devoted themselves entirely to managing the local trade. Each year, they converted a portion of their profits into silver and gold, while using the remainder to purchase grain and daily necessities, sending them all back to Bright Moon Island aboard the grand Fuchuan junks.

Later, Temasek was renamed Singapore, and the descendants of Lu Wenting and Xing Chulian became citizens of Singapore. That, however, is a story for another day.

Silt Lake Stronghold.

On the day of Guan Yi's wedding, the Silt Lake Stronghold appeared exceptionally desolate, forming a sharp contrast with the festive and noisy atmosphere of weddings in neighboring villages. The Oath Hall bore few double-happiness characters, and no red silk hung from the rafters. Outside the dwelling where Guan Yi had lived, a few sparse bamboo leaves swayed gently in the breeze, rustling softly as if aware that their mistress had gone to another home and perhaps would never return. The interior was dim—the windows had been firmly nailed shut. The bed was completely bare, the quilts and bedding having already been carried away.

Zhao Chuoyun sat by the window, holding the large red "Double Happiness" character that had fallen from the doorframe, staring blankly out the window with a gaze filled with reluctance and helplessness. She truly could not bear to see Guan Yi leave the Silt Lake Stronghold!

At noon, Quan Niannian came to invite Zhao Chuoyun to lunch, but she made no sound and refused to come out to eat. By sunset, Zhao Chuoyun let out a heavy sigh, wiped the tears from her face, stood up, closed the door, locked it, and walked toward the observation tower by the lake.

For five days, the Silt Lake Stronghold remained shrouded in a lifeless gloom.

Then, at noon on the fifth day, the Silt Lake Stronghold suddenly buzzed back to life as Zhang Jiuling, Duan Zhaoyue, and their entourage arrived at the stronghold on dozens of Dali warhorses.

Duan Zhaoyue said to Zhao Chuoyun, "Mother, why didn't you wait for my arrival before letting Aunt Guan get married?"

Zhao Chuoyun reached out and pinched her daughter's beautiful cheek, asking in return, "My girl, why didn't you arrive five days earlier?"

Duan Zhaoyue distributed the warhorses she had brought: she presented Quan Niannian with a white horse, while gifting Mulan and Guihua reddish-brown ones. Mulan and Guihua both complained that Duan Zhaoyue was playing favorites.

Mulan said to Duan Zhaoyue, "Princess, do you know? When you lived in the Silt Lake Stronghold as a child, Auntie Guihua and I carried you on our backs as you grew up! Whenever you were feeling playful and soiled your trousers, it was Auntie Guihua and I who washed them clean for you!"

Duan Zhaoyue asked, "Did Auntie Quan Niannian never wash me?"

Guihua chimed in, "She loves cleanliness too much! Whenever she saw you mess yourself, she would pinch her nose and yell for me and Sister Mulan!"

Blushing, Quan Niannian retorted, "Although I never washed Zhaoyue's messes, I taught Zhaoyue how to paint and how to compose musical melodies! Today in the Kingdom of Dali, Zhaoyue has adapted the *Ancient Music of Dongjing*, and my contribution is undeniable! Isn't that right, my beautiful and lovely Princess Zhaoyue?"

With a grateful expression, Duan Zhaoyue said, "Indeed! That is why I gifted Auntie Niannian a white warhorse!"

Pressing her advantage, Quan Niannian threw her arms around Duan Zhaoyue's neck and laughed, "Let Auntie Niannian give you a kiss just to make those two die of envy!"

Duan Zhaoyue pushed Quan Niannian away with a smile and said, "You aren't Gu Yuren, why would I let you kiss me?"

Hearing this from the side, Zhao Chuoyun looked up in utter shock and asked, "My girl, do you know Gu Yuren?"

Duan Zhaoyue replied, "Mother, Zhaoyue once caught a glimpse of Gu Yuren in the Yujin Garden in the capital. One of my missions upon coming to Southern Han this time is to gather further intelligence on Gu Yuren!"

Zhao Chuoyun asked, "Why do you need to gather intelligence on him?"

With a bashful blush, Duan Zhaoyue answered, "His Majesty the Emperor said he wishes to have him as the son-in-law of the Princess of Bashu..."