Chapter Forty-Five

Osmanthus Garden.

Before Gu Yusheng set out on his diplomatic mission to the Qiu State, Qi Qiongqiong had accompanied Xie An to the Crown Prince’s Estate for his interview. Crown Princess Xia personally examined him across multiple subjects, including martial arts, self-control, and moral character, all of which Xie An passed with flying colors.

By the time Gu Yusheng returned from the Qiu State, Xie An had already been serving in the Crown Prince’s Estate for quite some time. Crown Prince Zhao Yuan had long known that Xie An was Guan Yi’s husband, that Guan Yi was the savior of his aunt Zhao Zhuoyun, and that he himself had received years of devoted care from Guan Yi at the Mihu Lake stronghold. Thus, he considered himself a "true kinsman" to Xie An. Because of this connection, Zhao Yuan treated Xie An differently from other guards, entrusting him with important matters. Seeing the Crown Prince’s profound trust, Xie An became even more diligent and dedicated to his duties.

Following his return from the Qiu State, Gu Yusheng resumed teaching Xie An how to read and write, and on holidays, he would attempt to instruct him in the art of war. During official breaks and farming leaves, the Gu brothers—Yuren and Yusheng—took turns bringing Xie An to the training grounds, step by step teaching him the techniques of spear and horse combat.

Xie An was an open-minded and eager learner. Back at Mihu Lake, he had watched Li Muwen teaching the young women spear and horse techniques, and his admiration for Li Muwen had been so profound it brought him to tears; he had desperately wanted to take Li Muwen as his master! Now, watching the Gu brothers demonstrate various spear styles on the training field, not only were his horizons broadened, but he also came to understand the truth that there is always someone superior to oneself. He now held the Gu brothers in absolute awe. He practiced meticulously, burning the midnight oil, eagerly wishing he could absorb their entire martial repertoire into his own body. He began to admire his parents back at Xiejiakao; if not for their resolute decision to send him and his wife Guan Yi away from home to the capital, how could he have ever encountered two such brilliantly skilled masters?

On the training field, Xie An addressed Gu Yuren as Master Yuren, while continuing to call Gu Yusheng his brother-in-law.

Gu Yusheng had achieved the prestigious dual honors of civil and military top scholar in the imperial examinations, excelling in both literature and martial arts. Although his overall martial prowess fell slightly short of Xiao Guimu and his eldest brother Gu Yuren, he was unquestionably a top-tier master in the contemporary world. Comparing Gu Yuren, Gu Yusheng, and Li Muwen in terms of lineage: Li Muwen learned from his mother Lou Mingxuan, while the Gu brothers learned from their father Gu Datong. Their ultimate patriarch was their maternal grandfather, the eccentric swordsman Lou Sanfeng, meaning they shared the same root and origin and might seem evenly matched. In reality, however, a vast gap separated the three of them! Take the Gu brothers, for instance. Gu Yuren had endured harsher training since childhood and perhaps held a slight edge in technical execution, which earned him the second rank in the martial examinations, while his younger brother Yusheng placed third. Yet Yusheng vastly surpassed his elder brother in literary talent. Furthermore, he had grown up playing and training alongside Xiao Guimu, receiving intentional and unintentional guidance from Xiao Tianjian during his practice. Xiao Tianjian had once been a renowned commander of the imperial honor guard and was the inheritor of the Chengshi Sword, one of Emperor Shang's three legendary blades. His martial arts followed a different path from Gu Datong's, with completely distinct spear and sword techniques. To provide a sparring partner for his daughter Xiao Guimu, Xiao Tianjian had also imparted his spear and sword techniques to Gu Yusheng. Gifted with supreme intelligence since childhood, Yusheng seamlessly fused his father's teachings with those of Xiao Tianjian during practice, innovating until he unconsciously forged his own unique, signature style. Yet he remained remarkably unassuming, never resorting to his unique techniques when sparring with others—not even when sparring with his elder brother Gu Yuren, nor during the martial examinations. This was not out of deliberate concealment, but because he believed that sparring was not combat, and the imperial examination grounds were not a battlefield; he would reserve his unique techniques for when he faced actual enemies. Sima Jiannan once asked her husband, Qi Guang: "Between eldest brother-in-law Gu Yuren and second brother-in-law Gu Yusheng, whose martial arts are stronger?" Qi Guang replied to his wife, "If it were a real, life-or-death fight, I fear the eldest brother-in-law would be no match for the second."

It was yet another season of farming leave.

Last night, the moment Xie An returned to Osmanthus Garden from the Crown Prince's Estate, he impatiently asked whether Gu Yusheng had finished his duties for the day. Gu Yusheng had already returned home and was in his study, reading letters sent by Prime Minister Lü.

As soon as Xie An entered, he asked, "Brother-in-law, this farming leave lasts half a month. What do you plan to teach me?"

Gu Yusheng kept his head lowered, reading the letter, and replied slowly, "With this rare leisure, you should spend more time with your son and sister-in-law Guan Yi!"

Xie An retorted, "My son is cared for by a wet nurse, and your sister-in-law doesn't need my company! Just tell me straight, what are you going to teach me these fifteen days?"

"Well," Gu Yusheng dragged out his tone, his focus still anchored on the letters, "what should I teach you? Over the past year, under the rotating tutelage of big brother, Sister Qiongqiong, Yaoyao, and myself, you’ve learned all the characters you need to know. Not bad! Eldest brother-in-law, you've done well! As for the Lou family's spear and horse techniques, I have imparted them to you in their entirety! As the old saying goes, a master leads you through the door, but your cultivation depends on yourself. For these next fifteen days, you should just practice more on your own!"

"No way!" Xie An seemed dissatisfied with Gu Yusheng's distracted demeanor. "I've practiced the Lou family spear and horse techniques for over a year; I've mastered them thoroughly!"

Gu Yusheng finally raised his head, staring at Xie An in astonishment. "Really? Then what do you propose?"

Xie An seized the moment and said, "Impart your ultimate, peerless techniques to me!"

Gu Yusheng stared suspiciously at Xie An and said, "The Lou family spear and horse techniques are my best skills, and I've already taught them to you!"

Relentless, Xie An declared, "You're lying! I've long seen that you're holding back 'private stock'—you still have a trick up your sleeve!"

Gu Yusheng let out a chuckle. Folding the letter and sliding it back into its envelope, he shook his head and said, "That's like the cat teaching the tiger while holding one trick back."

Xie An grew anxious and pestered him, "Brother-in-law, you're no cat, and I am no tiger! We study martial arts for the imperial court and the common people, all for the sake of the future northern expedition!"

"Oh? One must look at a scholar with new eyes after three days apart!" Gu Yusheng felt that Xie An had changed immensely over the past year. "Who taught you such high-sounding words?"

Xie An answered honestly, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince taught me."

"Just as I thought!" Gu Yusheng mused, "They say the Crown Prince excels at grooming men, and it is truly no falsehood!"

Standing nearby and watching Gu Yusheng's expression shift from surprise to amusement, Xie An pressed his advantage, "Brother-in-law, won't you pass on your unique skills to me?"

Gu Yusheng smiled and said, "Come to the training ground early tomorrow morning, and I'll demonstrate them for you."

"Thank you, brother-in-law."

The morning training ground was tranquil.

In the morning mist, a flock of wild geese flew across the sky above the training ground, letting out "cawing" cries as if waking the world from sleep. Amidst these cries, the colorful banners fluttering around the perimeter of the training ground seemed stirred awake, swaying gently as if waving to the geese in the sky—thanking them for the awakening.

On the training field, Gu Yusheng was demonstrating and explaining his signature spear techniques to his eldest brother-in-law, Xie An.

At first, Gu Yusheng would demonstrate a segment, explain it, and Xie An would follow along, practicing that segment. Gradually, Gu Yusheng stopped explaining; he simply continued demonstrating without interruption, and Xie An practiced without pause. The rhythm began to accelerate, growing faster and faster. Before he knew it, Gu Yusheng's "demonstration" had transformed into a "performance."

Xie An could no longer keep up with the pace and shouted out to Gu Yusheng, "Slower, slower!" But Gu Yusheng seemed deaf to his cries. Left with no choice, Xie An reined in his horse, slid slowly down from the saddle, and stood anxiously at the edge of the training field. Holding his long spear in one hand and his horse's reins in the other, he watched his brother-in-law's "performance" with unblinking eyes—the way Gu Yusheng's spear spun like a whirlwind left him utterly dazzled. He clicked his tongue in admiration, muttering, "With such a unique spear technique, I couldn't learn it in a lifetime!" Xie An was indeed a lovable man possessing genuine self-awareness.

At some point, a line of people had gathered at the entrance of the training ground, watching the "performance" with rapt attention.

"Magnificent!" came a familiar voice.

Xie An turned around to see Crown Prince Zhao Yuan, Gu Yuren, Qi Qiongqiong, Qi Yaoyao, and Guan Yi standing there. How had they all arrived at the training ground together?

As it turned out, ever since Xie An joined the Crown Prince's Estate, he had approached every task with unwavering diligence and dedication. Combined with the fact that the Crown Prince was his "true kinsman" who favored him above other attendants for special development, he had recently been promoted to one of the five imperial bodyguard ranks—Deputy Commander of the Imperial Bodyguards. Overnight, he had transformed into a an official of the imperial court, holding an eighth-rank post as a guard in the Crown Prince's Estate. This fulfilled his aging father's wish of "finding an official post, big or small." Furthermore, the Crown Prince was a man who deeply cherished emotional bonds, particularly treasuring the friendship forged with his paternal aunt Guan Yi during their days at the Mihu Lake stronghold. Thus, despite his exalted status as Crown Prince, he frequently visited Osmanthus Garden to check on his aunt Guan Yi.

Today was the first day of farming leave. Early in the morning, Crown Prince Zhao Yuan and Crown Princess Xia went to the inner palace to pay their respects to the Emperor and Empress Dowager. Afterward, the Crown Prince thought to himself, "Today is farming leave, and there are no major matters in the Crown Prince's Estate. Since we rarely have a free day, I might as well head over to Osmanthus Garden. On one hand, I can visit my aunt; on the other, I can chat and drink tea with the Gu brothers and relax!" With his mind made up, he instructed Crown Princess Xia to return to the estate on horseback while he, accompanied by a few attendants, rode toward Osmanthus Garden.

However, the only male head of the household present at Osmanthus Garden was Gu Yuren, as both Gu Yusheng and Xie An were out. Crown Prince Zhao Yuan’s visits to Osmanthus Garden were primarily driven by his fondness for Gu Yusheng—Gu Yusheng’s witty and humorous conversation always brought him immense joy and relaxation!

"Aunt, where did Guard Xie go so early this morning?" Crown Prince Zhao Yuan asked Guan Yi.

Guan Yi bowed and replied, "Reporting to Your Highness, before dawn broke, he and second brother Yusheng each took a long spear and rode out on horseback, acting all sneaky. Who knows what they're up to!"

The Crown Prince gently corrected her, "Aunt, I asked *where* they went!"

Gu Yuren stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Reporting to Your Highness, they mentioned going to the training ground to practice spearwork. They are likely still there at this hour."

"Come, let's go take a look at the training ground," the Crown Prince told Gu Yuren.

"As you command!" Gu Yuren immediately ordered a servant to saddle the horses.

"A-Cai, saddle our horses as well; we want to go see too," Qi Qiongqiong, Qi Yaoyao, and Guan Yi called out to the servant A-Cai.

"Well..." Gu Yuren frowned, looking troubled.

The Crown Prince had always been fond of the three spirited and heroic swordswomen of Osmanthus Garden. Smiling, he said to Gu Yuren, "Minister Gu, let them come along as well."

"As you command!" Gu Yuren shot his wife Qi Qiongqiong a glare. "A-Cai, saddle four warhorses!"

"Right away!" The servant A-Cai happily scampered off to prepare the horses.

...

Seeing the Crown Prince standing at the entrance of the training ground, Xie An dropped his horse's reins and long spear in a panic, rushed forward like a flying arrow, dropped to his knees before the Crown Prince, and shouted, "Greetings, Your Highness..."

The Crown Prince stepped forward to stop him, gesturing for him to remain silent.

Out on the training field, Gu Yusheng remained intoxicated by his own brilliant "performance." Since returning from the Qiu State, he had dedicated himself to teaching Xie An spearwork, and this was the first time he had truly "performed."

Qi Yaoyao was of an impatient temperament. Terrified that her husband would commit a breach of imperial etiquette, she cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone and shouted at the distant figure: "Husband! His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived! Dismount at once and pay your respects!"

At that moment, Gu Yuren also realized the consequences of such discourtesy and hurriedly cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting across the training field, "Second brother, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is here! Stop at once!"

Hearing the shouts, Gu Yusheng finally snapped out of his self-absorption. He leaped down from his horse, ran over to the Crown Prince, dropped to his knees, and pleaded, "This subject was unaware of Your Highness's arrival and failed to welcome you from afar. Please punish this subject for his transgression."

Zhao Yuan replied, "The ignorant are blameless. Rise!"

Gu Yusheng offered his gratitude: "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Zhao Yuan asked with a smile, "Minister Gu, what were you doing just now?"

Gu Yusheng answered, "Reporting to Your Highness, this subject was just demonstrating a set of spear techniques to my eldest brother-in-law, General Xie An."

The Crown Prince looked astonished. "Oh? What kind of spear technique is that? This Prince watched it just now and found it utterly wondrous!"

Gu Yusheng replied with modest restraint, "Your Highness flatters me! It's just a set of spear maneuvers I tinkered with and cobbled together when I was a child playing with a young girl—it has no name!"

Zhao Yuan chuckled shrewdly, "Minister Gu, you dare to teach people something you cobbled together in your childhood?"

Gu Yusheng hastily explained, "Your Highness, it is not like that."

Zhao Yuan pressed on relentlessly, "If it's not like that, then what is it like?" Gu Yusheng said, "It was General Xie An who insisted on seeing it, so this subject had no choice but to demonstrate it for him."

Zhao Yuan scoffed, "Ghosts would believe that!"

Xie An stepped forward and said, "Reporting to Your Highness, every word Lord Gu said is true! This subject found Lord Gu's unique spear technique fascinating and pestered him into demonstrating it."

Zhao Yuan remarked, "Fascinating is an understatement! This Prince found it unimaginably marvelous! Minister Gu, could you 'demonstrate' it for this Prince as well in the future?"

Gu Yusheng replied, "If Your Highness does not find it an eyesore, this subject can demonstrate it for you right now."

The Crown Prince waved his hand to stop him. "No! Save it! Today is farming leave and leisure is rare; this Prince came to drink tea and chat with you all! Shall we return to Osmanthus Garden? Let us not waste such a wonderful farming leave."

Gu Yusheng and the others beamed with joy, bowing deeply in unison: "We will strictly follow Your Highness's arrangements."

On the way back to Osmanthus Garden, the Crown Prince asked Gu Yusheng in a low voice, "Minister Gu, was that young girl who used to play with you perhaps my audacious cousin, Xiao Guimu, who once committed the crime of deceiving the emperor?"

Gu Yusheng lied, "No! That young girl fell ill and died long ago."

Bashu.

The third day of farming leave happened to be Sima Xi's birthday.

Yesterday, Qi Guang arrived at his wife's family home accompanied by his wife Sima Jiannan, their son Qi You, daughter Qi Shan, and maidservants Chunhua and Qiumei. Qi Shan had been born in the second year after Qi Guang's arrival in Meishan, and she was now just two years old.

Qi Guang's family had come to Bashu this time for two reasons: first, to celebrate his father-in-law Sima Xi's birthday; second, because his term as the Vice-Prefect of Meizhou had concluded, and he had received an imperial edict promoting him to Prefect of Yongzhou. As he was preparing to assume his new post, he wanted to come to Bashu to bid farewell to his father-in-law.

Accompanying Qi Guang's family to Bashu was Gui Fufu. She was the female proprietor of a Yangtze River cargo vessel whom Qi Guang and his family had met along the way to Meizhou, and she had become Sima Jiannan's sworn sister. She had long desired to meet her sworn father Sima Xi, but two factors had prevented it: first, spending years navigating the Yangtze meant she rarely came ashore; second, since Sima Jiannan hadn't gone, she felt it inappropriate to visit alone. Hearing this time that her sworn sister was heading to Bashu to celebrate their father's birthday, she prepared a lavish gift and traveled along with Qi Guang's family. Sima Xi had always felt lonely; having only an only daughter who was married and living far away left him isolated. With Gui Fufu's arrival, he gained another daughter, and Sima Xi was overjoyed.

Ever since his wife Zhao Zhuoyun's disappearance, Sima Xi had never hosted a birthday banquet for himself. Now that his daughter, son-in-law, nephew, and adopted daughter had all arrived, Sima Xi instructed his household to prepare a feast to celebrate. Although the gathering was small and consisted entirely of members of the Sima household, it was filled with warmth and merriment.

Just as everyone was flushed with wine and high spirits, a servant suddenly rushed in to report, "An imperial messenger has arrived with an edict." Not knowing what was happening, Sima Xi hurriedly cleared away the banquet tables, set up an incense altar, and knelt in the hall alongside Qi Guang, Sima Jiannan, Gui Fufu, and the others to receive the decree.

The imperial messenger strode into the hall holding the imperial edict, facing south, and called out, "Sima Xi, receive the decree."

Sima Xi knelt on the ground and responded in a clear voice, "This commoner, Sima Xi, receives the decree."

The messenger unrolled the scroll and read aloud: "An imperial edict from the Emperor: Appoints Sima Xi as the Tea and Horse Censor of the Yongzhou Horse-Trading Bureau. He is to set out immediately to assume his post. Respect this."

Sima Xi knelt and kowtowed in gratitude: "Long live the Emperor! Long live, long live, long, long live!"

As it turned out, Sima Xi's uncanny ability to judge horses was renowned far and wide. Back when the famous swordsman Lou Sanfeng recruited disciples, he was not drawn to Sima Xi's martial talent, but rather to his potential in physiognomy regarding horses. Thus, during the subsequent course of instruction, aside from teaching Sima Xi swordsmanship and martial arts, Lou Sanfeng focused primarily on imparting the art of horse appraisal. After completing his training, although Sima Xi's martial arts lagged behind those of his five fellow disciples—Lou Mingxuan, Gu Datong, Qi Wei, Yin Yuanyuan, and Zhao Zhuoyun—none of the other five could match his extraordinary acumen in recognizing fine horses.

For years, Sima Xi had lived a paradisiacal life of seclusion in Bashu. Though his son-in-law and several martial nephews were high-ranking imperial officials, he never concerned himself with court affairs, remaining entirely deaf and blind to news from the capital. He was a forgotten imperial in-law. He had always believed that in the contemporary imperial court, aside from a few martial nephews, no one even remembered him. Crown Prince Zhao Yuan had been known as Zhao Shu when he was a child, a name Sima Xi recognized. But Zhao Shu had later changed his name to Zhao Yuan, been adopted as the current Emperor's heir, and risen to the position of Crown Prince—none of which Sima Xi knew. Today, receiving a sudden imperial edict summoning him to Yongzhou to serve as a glorified "stable master" truly filled him with trepidation. It wasn't that he was averse to holding office, but rather that he was agonizing over the identity of *that person*—the one who had recommended him to the imperial court! In the present court, who else could possibly know of his skill in appraising horses?

...

Sima Xi held the imperial edict with a heart full of trepidation.

His daughter Sima Jiannan, however, was overjoyed.

Beaming with delight, she snuggled up to her father to offer her congratulations: "Father, this is wonderful! You and my husband Qi Guang will both be serving as officials in Yongzhou; our entire family will be gathered together in Yongzhou, and this girl will never have to worry between two different places again!"

Seeing his daughter so radiant, Sima Xi's face gradually broke into a joyful smile. After sending off the imperial messenger, he ordered his household to pack their luggage and prepare to assume his new post.

His adopted daughter, Gui Fufu, stepped forward and said, "Father, why don't you travel with my sworn sister's family on our flat-bottomed boat? This girl will personally escort you all the way to Yongzhou."

Sima Xi asked, "Girl, let me ask you—is there a continuous waterway from Bashu to Yongzhou?"

Gui Fufu replied, "There is, but we must pass through the Ling Canal."

Sima Xi said happily, "The Ling Canal? Do you mean the Ling Canal irrigation project?"

Gui Fufu replied, "Father, exactly."

Sima Xi continued joyfully, "I have read about the Ling Canal in books—it was constructed under the direction of Shi Lu of the Qin dynasty! It is said that there, water can flow uphill. I wonder if that is true or false?"

Gui Fufu laughed and said, "Father, several years ago this girl navigated a batch of guests through the Ling Canal, and I can confirm it is true."

Sima Xi beamed with delight and declared, "For the sake of that marvel of the Ling Canal alone, I will certainly take your flat-bottomed boat to Yongzhou!"

Gui Fufu said happily, "It's a deal, Father! Tomorrow, this girl will personally steer the boat to come pick you up."

Sima Xi nodded, "A deal."

As fate would have it, on the very day Sima Xi, Qi Guang, and the others boarded Gui Fufu's flat-bottomed boat to leave Bashu, Gu Yusheng, his wife Qi Yaoyao, and their daughter Gu Nuonuo also boarded a boat to leave the capital. Gu Yusheng had been reassigned to Liangzhe Circuit to serve as the Transport Commissioner. While Sima Xi and Qi Guang's flat-bottomed boat navigated the Ling Canal, Gu Yusheng's official vessel was sailing down the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. However, by the time Sima Xi arrived at the Yongzhou Horse-Trading Bureau, Gu Yusheng had already been sitting in the offices of the Liangzhe Circuit Transportation Commission, attending to official business for over half a month. Sima Xi had been delayed for some days because he needed to inspect the Ling Canal before transporting horses for the imperial court through it.

Since ancient times, the Taihu Basin had served as the nation's financial tax base and the realm's "granary," long hailed with the praise, "When Suzhou and Huzhou have a bountiful harvest, the world is fed." The Taihu Basin fell under the jurisdiction of Liangzhe Circuit.

As the Transport Commissioner of Liangzhe Circuit, Gu Yusheng was responsible for managing the finances and taxes of the circuit, while concurrently overseeing money and grain, border defense, public security, and circuit inspections, making his duties exceptionally heavy. Although he held the dual top honors in literature and martial arts, his career thus far had been spent entirely within the Ministry of War; he had never touched administrative matters concerning finance or grain management. At first, Gu Yusheng felt slightly overwhelmed. Fortunately, he was a diligent and studious man who learned on the job, gradually finding his footing.

In the afternoon, Gu Yusheng was in the main hall of the Transport Commission reviewing documents.

A bailiff walked in and reported, "Reporting to Your Honor, the mistress sent someone with a message: two distinguished guests have arrived at the residence, and she requests that Your Honor return home a little earlier after ending your duties."

Gu Yusheng knew that his wife Qi Yaoyao regarded virtually every visitor to the home as a distinguished guest. "Pay her no mind; official business comes first!" he told the bailiff softly. "Understood, you may withdraw." With that, he lowered his head and resumed reading the documents.

Knowing that the official was swamped with work and not daring to disturb him further, the bailiff picked up the kettle, topped off the tea in the official's cup, and withdrew.

By dusk, Gu Yusheng finally dragged his exhausted body back home.

Qi Yaoyao hurried out to meet him at the door, asking, "Husband, do you know who has come to our house?"

Gu Yusheng asked, "Who? Haven't they left yet?"

Qi Yaoyao pouted playfully, "Left? Listen to you! Brother Muwen and sister Jiang Hong traveled thousands of miles to come here; how could they leave without seeing you?"

Pleasantly surprised, Gu Yusheng exclaimed, "It's the two of them? Why didn't you say so earlier?!" He snatched off his official cap and tossed it to Qi Yaoyao.

Catching the cap with both hands, Qi Yaoyao said with an aggrieved tone, "I was trying to—"

Gu Yusheng called out loudly, "Brother Muwen, why didn't you send word ahead before coming?!"

Li Muwen and Jiang Hong were sitting at the dining table waiting for dinner—they had been waiting for quite a while and were rather hungry. Hearing Gu Yusheng's voice, Li Muwen called back, "Second brother, hurry to the dining hall! The two of us are drooling over a table of magnificent dishes here!"

Having not seen each other for several years, meeting again in a foreign place filled them with deep warmth. Each raised a cup of wine, clinked them together, and drank without exchanging idle pleasantries or shedding tears of reunion. Qi Yaoyao, ever thoughtful, had prepared a lavish feast to welcome her visiting brother-in-law and sister-in-law from afar. As Gu Yusheng savored the delicious dishes, he cast a grateful glance at Qi Yaoyao. Qi Yaoyao deliberately avoided his gaze, muttering inwardly, "What a forgetful wretch! He was glaring at me like a fierce spirit just moments ago; I'm keeping a tally of that!"

After three rounds of drinks, the young man in white suddenly put down his wine cup and said, "We were so busy eating that we almost forgot business!" Wiping his hands, he drew a letter from his bosom and handed it to Gu Yusheng.

Gu Yusheng asked, "Whose letter is this?"

Li Muwen smiled and said, "Mother's. When Mother heard that you had come to Liangzhe Circuit as an official, she wrote this letter and had the two of us gallop here posthaste to deliver it."

Gu Yusheng set down his wine cup, wiped his hands, took the letter, broke the seal, and read it carefully.

Lou Mingxuan was a great mother. In her letter, she instructed her son Gu Yusheng to perform his duties honorably, putting the imperial court and the common people above all else; she reminded him that the Liangzhe Circuit Transport Commission was a lucrative post and hoped her son would not be seduced by money—that even officialdom had a bottom line which must not be crossed. She also noted that Liangzhe Circuit was the empire's financial engine and granary, urging her son to constantly recall the horrors of the childhood famine, work alongside his colleagues to properly administer Jiangsu and Zhejiang, accumulate wealth and grain for the imperial court, and lay the foundation for the future northern expedition...

Reading his mother's letter, Gu Yusheng was moved to tears.

The young man in white drew out a handkerchief, handed it to Gu Yusheng, and said, "Second brother, I have another piece of good news to tell you."

"What good news?"

The young man in white replied, "Mother has long known the whereabouts of Xiao Guimu."

"Where is she?"

Li Muwen leaned close to Gu Yusheng's ear and whispered, "Second brother, actually, Mother has been in contact with her for a long time." With that, he softly and quietly informed Gu Yusheng that Xiao Guimu was currently residing on Bright Moon Island.

Gu Yusheng was overjoyed upon hearing this. He asked, "Brother Muwen, is this true? It sounds like a fairy tale."

Li Muwen nodded and said, "Who is to say otherwise? Because she is currently a 'bandit leader' with a special identity, Mother instructed us not to contact her directly, but to pass messages through her instead. Mother also repeatedly admonished us to keep this matter strictly confidential, not leaking a single syllable to the outside world."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yusheng remarked, "Mother is right! Caution is the parent of safety! Still, the two of you are an engaged couple and will meet sooner or later; you really should go visit her."

Li Muwen shook his head and said, "I've wanted to go for a long time, but Mother won't allow it! She says it's better to be safe than sorry!"

Gu Yusheng scoffed dismissively, "Mother is being overly cautious! With both Prime Minister Qin and Empress Dowager Pi now dead, hardly anyone in the court asks about Aunt Zhao Rouya anymore. And as for Sister Guimu participating in the martial examinations disguised as a man, that is rarely spoken of nowadays."

Li Muwen shook his head again. "Mother says the political situation in our Southern Han is currently at a delicate juncture; Prime Minister Qin's faction still controls the court, and his underlings are entrenched everywhere. Although Crown Prince Zhao Yuan is a man of civil and military brilliance, he has just ascended to the throne and his foundations are unstable. If I rashly went to visit that girl at this time, and the authorities discovered it and reported it to the court, Prime Minister Qin's remnants would surely incite the current Emperor to dispatch troops to wipe out the remnants of Peach Blossom Stronghold! When that happens, it would not only spell disaster for the Li family, but also endanger the lives of the hundreds of people on Bright Moon Island, and it might even implicate your Gu family."

Gu Yusheng agreed, "Mother always looks high and sees far ahead no matter the time!"

Li Muwen added, "However, Mother also said that Prime Minister Qin's faction are like grasshoppers after the frost—they won't be jumping around for much longer!"

Qi Yaoyao chimed in, "Our mother-in-law is a hero among mothers, and I, Qi Yaoyao, am deeply proud to be her daughter-in-law!"

Jiang Hong raised her wine glass and said, "Let's put aside the rest! Come, second brother, second sister-in-law Yaoyao, husband—let us all raise our cups and drink a toast to our far-sighted, heroic mother!"

"Hear, hear!" everyone agreed.

"Cheers!" They drained their cups in a single gulp.

Lou Mingxuan was right: the political situation in Southern Han at this moment was indeed delicate!

A few months later, a dramatic upheaval shook the imperial court!

After Prime Minister Qin died a thoroughly deserved death, the political climate of the court began to transform.

Upon hearing the news of Prime Minister Qin's death early one morning, Empress Dowager Pi laughed out loud and promptly collapsed, passing away as well. With these two "heavyweights" long dead, change in the court was inevitable.

Before long, the reigning Emperor abdicated to become the Retired Emperor.

Crown Prince Zhao Yuan ascended the throne as the new Emperor.

Imperial Noble Consort Xia was elevated to Empress Xia, taking charge of the inner palace.

Naturally, a new emperor brought a new court; old bureaucratic officials were replaced by those of the new regime. Inspector Ding, who had visited the military camp late at night to provide top-secret intelligence to Xiao Guimu during her pacification of Peach Blossom Stronghold, was appointed as the Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. Minister Wang of the Ministry of War, a nephew of the late Prime Minister Qin, was demoted to the provinces to serve as Prefect of Xinzhou, and so forth.

During the early morning court session, the Xuanhe Hall presented a completely new atmosphere.

The new Emperor sat upon the golden throne, and as the officials finished shouting their chorus of long life, he opened his golden lips: "Where is Gu Yuren, Vice Director of the Ministry of Punishments?"

Gu Yuren stepped out from the ranks of officials: "Reporting to Your Majesty, this subject is here."

With his resonant and magnetic voice, the reigning Emperor declared, "Minister Gu, We strip you of your post as Vice Director of the Ministry of Punishments and appoint you as Director of the Bureau of Operations within the Ministry of Rites. You are to immediately embark on a diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Dali to negotiate trade terms for Dali warhorses."

Gu Yuren knelt to receive the decree and express his gratitude: "May Your Majesty live forever, brilliant and wise, for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand years!"

Back at home, Qi Qiongqiong also received an imperial edict from Empress Xia: she was appointed as the deputy envoy on the diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Dali. Throughout millennia of Chinese history, women serving as official envoys were exceedingly rare. Consort Feng had been a maidservant to a Western Han princess; well-versed in literature and possessing extraordinary competence, familiar with both the customs of the Han and the human affairs of the Western Regions, she was appointed as an envoy to the Western Regions. Princess Wencheng was the Great Tang's first female envoy sent to Tubo, though her mission was one of political marriage.

Qi Qiongqiong's mission as deputy envoy—as written in Empress Xia's edict—stated: "By the grace of Heaven, the Empress issues this decree: To champion 'consort diplomacy,' this palace officially confers upon Lady Gu, née Qi Qiongqiong, the title of Fifth-Rank Lady of Beneficence, and appoints her as the Deputy Envoy of the Ministry of Rites to the Kingdom of Dali. Respect this." It appeared Qi Qiongqiong was an envoy akin to Consort Feng, rather than a bride like Princess Wencheng. This filled Qi Qiongqiong with immense excitement. Cradling the edict with both hands, she placed it upon the incense altar to be revered, kneeling before it and kowtowing repeatedly as if paying homage to her ancient ancestors.

Qi Qiongqiong had always been composed and calm in the face of adversity. Yet today, this unprecedented decree left her quite unable to maintain her composure. In her heart, she kept asking, "Why did Empress Xia choose me to be the deputy envoy of the diplomatic delegation?"

She eagerly anticipated her husband's return from his official duties so she could discuss the matter with him.

It was now the hour of *shen* (around 4:00 PM), but Gu Yuren had not yet returned.

Unable to contain herself, Qi Qiongqiong trotted out to the street gate and gazed anxiously into the distance.

By the hour of *you* (around 6:00 PM), Gu Yuren finally returned. The moment he stepped through the front door, he called out to Qi Yaoyao, "Wife, hurry and pack my traveling bags! Pack all my new official robes—"

Qi Qiongqiong asked, "Husband, where are you going?"

Gu Yuren replied, "Today His Majesty appointed me as Director of the Ministry of Rites and named me chief envoy on an immediate diplomatic mission to the Kingdom of Dali."

Everything clicked into place for Qi Qiongqiong. She murmured, "So that's how it is." She stood stock-still.

"What's wrong with you? Unwilling to see me go on a long journey? If negotiations in the Kingdom of Dali go smoothly, I'll be back in half a year at most," Gu Yuren comforted his wife.

"Husband, look at that," Qi Qiongqiong pointed to the imperial edict resting on the incense altar.

Gu Yusheng approached the altar, took a look, and was struck dumb with astonishment.

After a long moment, he turned to Qi Qiongqiong, cupped his hands in a formal salute, and said, "Lord Qi, please give me your full cooperation along the way!"

Qi Qiongqiong cupped her hands and returned the salute, saying, "Lord Gu, this official will cooperate fully. However, as a deputy envoy serving for the first time without experience, I ask the chief envoy for much guidance!"

Gu Yuren laughed heartily, "Of course!"

The next day, Xie An and Guan Yi, along with Gu Dabao, Gu Xiaobao, and their son Xie Fang, stood among the crowd to bid farewell to the diplomatic delegation departing for the Kingdom of Dali.

Squinting her eyes as she watched Qi Qiongqiong—attired in the fifth-rank phoenix crown and embroidered robes, radiating elegance and supreme composure as she sat within the slowly moving embroidered carriage—Guan Yi sighed with admiration, "It turns out Sister Qiongqiong was born to be an envoy! If this negotiation in the Kingdom of Dali succeeds, Qi Qiongqiong's beautiful name will be permanently recorded in the annals of Southern Han history."

Ever since he became the new Emperor's personal guard, Xie An's mind had grown much sharper. He said to Guan Yi, "Stop eating your heart out over Sister Qiongqiong! His Majesty once said: he'll find a post for you to run as well before long!"

Guan Yi sighed despondently, "Now that he sits as the Son of Heaven, how could he still remember his little aunt from the Mihu Lake stronghold?"

Xie An comforted his wife, "He will! His Majesty's words are set in stone, and besides, we share a true kinship with His Majesty—an official post will come, it's only a matter of time."

Guan Yi smiled, "Husband, you're right! Big brother Gu Yuren and Sister Qiongqiong have gone on a mission to the Kingdom of Dali, and they entrusted me with looking after Gu Dabao and Gu Erbao at home. Our own son is still young and needs his mother. Even if a post were available right now, I couldn't spare the time."

Just as Guan Yi was indulging in a moment of self-pity over being unable to spare herself, someone slapped her firmly on the back and shouted, "Lazy Guan, what are you daydreaming about?"

Startled, Guan Yi spun around to see none other than Third Master Quan Nianlan and Fourth Master Mulan from the Mihu Lake stronghold.

Guan Yi scolded, "You two dead girls, you scared the wits out of me! Why aren't you staying properly at the Mihu Lake stronghold instead of running all the way to the capital?"

Mulan giggled and said, "Not only are Big Sister Nianlan and I here, but our eldest leader, Zhao Zhuoyun, has come as well! She's currently at the Jing'an Villa in the suburbs and has matters for you to attend to. She invites you to come see her." With that, she grabbed Guan Yi's arm, urging her to leave.

Guan Yi quickly pried Mulan's hand away, saying, "Open your eyes and look at me! I've got one strapped to my back, one pulled by my left hand, and one pulled by my right hand—how am I supposed to just walk off like this?"

Xie An stepped forward and offered, "Hand little Xie Fang over to me! Wife, go with them with a tranquil mind; I'll safely escort these three children back home."

Only then did Quan Nianlan and Mulan notice Xie An standing nearby. They quickly saluted, saying, "Greetings, Brother-in-law Xie An! Sorry to trouble you, brother-in-law!"

As Guan Yi unstrapped her son Xie Fang from her back and handed him to Xie An, she admonished Gu Dabao and Gu Erbao: "Be good and follow Uncle Xie An home. Behave yourselves, no acting uproarious, you hear?"

Gu Dabao and Gu Erbao chorused in unison, "Don't worry, Aunt Guan Yi, we'll go."

Any careless woman who became a mother would turn meticulous—and inevitably nagging! "Lazy Guan" had now evolved into "Nagging Guan"—as Xie An liked to joke.

Look! First, she summoned the old steward Chen Ren, instructing him to bring two horse-drawn carriages over to the hitching post so the three children and Xie An could all ride. Then she gave Chen Ren a thousand instructions and ten thousand reminders to drive carefully along the way. Standing motionless by the roadside, she watched the carriage depart until it vanished around the street corner. Only then did she, alongside Quan Nianlan and Mulan, leap onto their horses and gallop off toward Jing'an Villa to meet Zhao Zhuoyun.

By lamplight, Guan Yi finally returned from Jing'an Villa.

Xie An asked, "What pressing matter did the Princess of Bashu have for you to handle?"

Guan Yi smiled, "There was no pressing matter at all! She just hadn't seen me in a long time and wanted to catch up, and incidentally gave a jade pendant to little Xie Fang to bless him with peace and safety." With that, she drew a jade pendant from her bosom and handed it to Xie An for inspection.

Xie An took it, his jaw dropping as he said, "This jade pendant is truly exquisite."

Guan Yi glared at Xie An and said, "Exquisite is an understatement! This was an heirloom of the founding Emperor—it's worth a king's ransom!"

Xie An said in astonishment, "She was willing to give us something so precious; it shows the Princess of Bashu is a person who deeply values emotional bonds."

Guan Yi replied with a smug smile, "Well, after all, I *did* save her life."

Morning on Bright Moon Island.

Xiao Guimu was inspecting the sea salt stored in the salt mounds. The salt was insufficiently pure, which made merchants disdain it. The grain storehouse was empty and hollow. Hundreds of people on the island were waiting for their next meal of rice.

Over the past few years, Temasek had suffered from continuous warfare. To escape the chaos, Lu Wenting and his wife Xing Chunan had also fled alongside refugees. Upon learning of the situation, Xiao Guimu had once dispatched ships to search for them, hoping to bring them back to Bright Moon Island, but the mission returned empty-handed. Furthermore, any hopes of revenue from the Temasek trading post had long since vanished.

This year had been plagued by frequent natural disasters, with waterlogging plaguing various parts of the Southern Province, submerging crops in the fields. The Southern Province was currently suffering from grain shortages and famine; even with silver, it was difficult to buy grain. However, the common people of the Southern Province received relief from the imperial court, whereas Bright Moon Island was a "nest of rebellious outlaws" and dared not reach out to the court for assistance. Fortunately, the seas around Bright Moon Island teemed with fish and shrimp, ensuring no one would starve to death.

Xiao Guimu had once been an expert at foraging the sea. Since the turn of the year, she had ordered the men on the island to go fishing every day, while the women foraged along the shore. Everyone on the island—young and old—ate fish and shrimp daily. While fish and shrimp were delicious, eating them every single day grew cloying. Xiao Guimu began studying culinary methods for fish: steaming, braising, roasting, boiling into soup, poaching, pan-frying—rotating them daily. Yet the catches brought in grew day by day, while people ate less and less of it, leaving dried fish and shrimp piled high across the beaches and courtyards. Some children gagged at the mere sight of fish and shrimp, preferring to starve rather than touch a single bite—crying out for rice instead.

Procuring grain had become the theme of Xiao Guimu's daily anxieties.

Some time ago, Xiao Guimu had dispatched Purple Rose off the island, ordering her to swallow her pride and borrow some grain from the coastal ancient town to tide them over. Yet that stubborn girl had been gone for days without a shred of news. Xiao Guimu surmised that ninety-nine percent of the time, the Li family had no surplus grain either; otherwise, her prospective mother-in-law, Lou Mingxuan, would never have stood by and refused to help, knowing the terror and helplessness of starvation.

Starvation was indeed terrifying. Without grain, even eating fish could prove fatal. The people on the island ate nothing but fish and shrimp.

In her childhood, when her parents recounted the bitter tales of the great famine in the Central Plains, they would always shed tears of gratitude, saying that Aunt Lou Mingxuan had actually sold herself into servitude just to keep both the Gu and Xiao families alive—it was a debt of gratitude for a lifetime, an act of supreme greatness! Upon hearing this, Xiao Guimu had always scoffed inwardly. She had told her parents, "There are thousands of paths in this world, and plenty of methods! Why on earth did she have to sell herself?" Now, faced with the crisis herself, Xiao Guimu finally understood what a terrifying thing starvation truly was! During this period, she had racked her brains for every conceivable solution—though turning to banditry was absolutely out of the question! Yet the hundreds of souls on Bright Moon Island continued to eat fish day after day! The worry—Xiao Guimu was so consumed with worry that a good number of her hairs had turned white. Only now did she deeply comprehend the meaning of helplessness. Her mother-in-law Lou Mingxuan selling herself back then had truly been a move born of utter desperation. She even caught herself thinking that if things truly reached a dead end, she might follow her mother-in-law's example and sell herself in exchange for grain.

Xiao Guimu had not tasted a single grain of rice in days. Yesterday, she had eaten a skewer of roasted shrimp, but by nightfall, her stomach rebelled and she vomited. Living on a daily diet of fish and shrimp had made her nauseous at the very sight of them. At that moment, crouching beside the salt mounds, she lacked even the strength to speak. She had fallen ill.

Although Red Rose had also subsisted entirely on fish and shrimp without a single grain of rice, her stomach never rebelled; the fish and shrimp only seemed to render her increasingly full of vitality. She ran over, panting, and blurted out, "Third Chief, A-Zi is back!"

Overjoyed, Xiao Guimu asked, "Where is she?"

Red Rose answered, "Right now she's at the dock directing people to unload the rice."

Xiao Guimu wished she could fly straight to the dock. She tried to stand up, closing her eyes and gathering every ounce of strength she possessed, but her legs went numb, and with a heavy *thud*, she collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness.

Purple Rose had brought back a boatload of grain, and she had also brought back a middle-aged woman—Lou Mingxuan.

Wisps of cooking smoke curled upward everywhere across Bright Moon Island.

Men, women, and old folk happily devoured bowls of white rice accompanied by fish.

At that moment, Xiao Guimu lay fast asleep in bed. Sitting beside the bed was Lou Mingxuan. Purple Rose stood nearby holding half a bowl of thin rice gruel.

"Mother Lou, is my sister going to be alright?" Purple Rose asked Lou Mingxuan repeatedly, unable to shake her anxiety.

"She'll be fine. She suffered from prolonged fasting combined with anxiety. Once she wakes up, feed her half a bowl of thin rice gruel, and she'll be right as rain!" Lou Mingxuan patiently explained to Purple Rose yet again.

Around midnight, Xiao Guimu awoke.

Seeing Purple Rose standing nearby holding a bowl, she asked, "Is it fish meat or shrimp meat?"

Purple Rose replied that it was thin rice gruel.

Eyes flashing with fire, Xiao Guimu snatched the bowl away and began eating ravenously, gulping down the half bowl of gruel in three or four swallows. It wasn't enough! Burying her face in the bowl and licking it clean with her tongue, she asked, "Is there more?"

"Child, you've fasted for too long; you mustn't eat too much all at once," Lou Mingxuan admonished gently.

Only then did Xiao Guimu notice a woman sitting beside the bed. Opening her eyes to look closer, she saw a stranger and asked, "Who are you?"

Pointing to her own nose with a smile, Lou Mingxuan said, "This old crone is your creditor! You used two blank promissory notes to borrow two boatloads of grain from my place and haven't paid it back yet—this creditor has come looking to collect!"

Emotion overcoming her, Xiao Guimu cried out, "So you are Mother-in-law Lou..." With that, she tried to get out of bed to offer a kneeling kowtow.

Lou Mingxuan caught her by the arm and laughed, "Kowtowing is something you'll have to do sooner or later! But the auspicious day for that hasn't arrived yet."

Blushing crimson, Xiao Guimu stammered, "Thank you, Mother-in-law, for sending charcoal in the snowy winter."

Purple Rose explained from the side, "Sister, the reason it took us so long this time is because the Li family had no surplus grain left either. This batch of grain was purchased from a neighboring province using Mother Lou's personal savings, which she had Brother-in-law Li Muwen and Sister Jiang Hong go out and procure."

Lou Mingxuan said, "Girl, this time I not only brought you a boatload of grain, but I've also brought a treasured item to return to its rightful owner." With that, she produced a sword and handed it to Xiao Guimu.

"The Hanguang Sword! How is it in Mother-in-law's hands? Wasn't it confiscated by the imperial court?"

Lou Mingxuan replied, "Indeed it was! After you were captured, this sword was confiscated into the public treasury as well! Later, the court even put it up for auction, and it was that rascal Gu Yusheng who bought it back from the buyer at a high price."

Clasping her personal Hanguang Sword of Emperor Shang, Xiao Guimu wiped away her tears and muttered, "That shameless wretch, he really is something..." Catching herself midway, she hastily clamped a hand over her mouth.

Lou Mingxuan burst into hearty laughter. "Don't bother hiding it! This old crone has known about the childhood affairs between you and that rascal Yusheng for ages. Still, though you two are childhood sweethearts, that stinky boy isn't the only match for you. Haha, where else could one find such a fine girl? I love the saying 'a favorable water should not flow to outsider's fields!' In the end, you're still going to be Lou Mingxuan's daughter-in-law!"

Xiao Guimu's face turned as red as a beef liver, and she chided, "Mother-in-law is acting without the dignity of her station..."

That night, Lou Mingxuan shared the large bed with Xiao Guimu.

Lying in bed, Lou Mingxuan remarked, "Before I came here, I received a letter sent by someone on Qi Yaoyao's behalf, saying that the third son of that girl Yuru has already been born."

Happily, Xiao Guimu said, "Really? Sister Yuru doesn't make a sound until she startles everyone with a masterpiece. Congratulations to Mother-in-law on gaining another grandson."

Lou Mingxuan continued, "After your incident, Zhang Dongquan took charge of the Jingnan Military Command."

Looking astonished, Xiao Guimu said, "Prefect Zhang is a top-ranking civil scholar; how on earth is he managing a military command?"

Lou Mingxuan replied, "That girl Yujia is by his side, assisting him—the court has already conferred upon Yuru the rank of Guerrilla General."

Xiao Guimu remarked, "That's a lower-fifth-rank official post, far inferior to my second-rank Zhennan General."

Lou Mingxuan chided playfully, "Your mother-in-law knows you're capable—and utterly audacious, daring to deceive the emperor!"

Reaching out beneath the covers, Xiao Guimu grabbed Lou Mingxuan's hand and said, "Don't be angry; I just saw how well Yuru is doing, felt a twinge of injustice, and let my tongue run away with me."

Lou Mingxuan said, "It's fine for you to be like this! Muwen's destiny has been bumpy; he missed several imperial examinations and is currently a commoner, while you are an outlaw—you two are a match made in heaven, equal in every way, splendid!"

Xiao Guimu scolded, "Everyone says Mother-in-law is a heroine among women, but it turns out she's just an old crone who gloats over other people's misfortunes! Simply detestable!"

Lou Mingxuan pulled Xiao Guimu into a tight embrace, whispering in her ear, "Detestable or not, there's nothing you can do about it! Who told me to be your mother-in-law?"

That night, Lou Mingxuan recounted all the major events that had recently occurred in the imperial court to Xiao Guimu: Crown Prince Zhao Yuan had already ascended the throne as the new Emperor; Prime Minister Qin and Empress Dowager Pi had been dead for some time; the reigning Emperor had appointed the veteran Prime Minister Lü Xun as Chief Councilor, and Prime Minister Lü's family was currently journeying back to the capital from their ancestral home; Gu Yuren and Qi Qiongqiong had been appointed as chief and deputy envoys on a mission to the Kingdom of Dali; Gu Yusheng had been relieved of his post as Liangzhe Circuit Transport Commissioner and was currently administering disaster relief in Jiangsu and Zhejiang; Sima Xi had been appointed as the Horse Censor of the Yongzhou Horse-Trading Bureau; Qi Guang had been promoted from Vice-Prefect of Meizhou to Prefect of Yongzhou, uniting father-in-law and son-in-law in Yongzhou; Inspector Ding had been appointed Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate...

Lou Mingxuan concluded with a summary: "Girl, can't you see? All signs indicate that the current Emperor is sparing no effort to strengthen national power and is actively preparing for the northern expedition!"

Xiao Guimu sighed and said, "Yet I am currently an outlaw; none of this has anything to do with me."

Holding Xiao Guimu tighter, Lou Mingxuan said, "Girl, just wait patiently. The imperial court will sooner or later have need of you and the brave men of Bright Moon Island."

Xiao Guimu replied, "We are longing for that day to arrive swiftly."

As the rooster in the courtyard crowed for the third time, Lou Mingxuan rose to return to the coastal ancient town.

Throwing her arms around Lou Mingxuan's neck, Xiao Guimu said, "Mother, I truly hate to see you leave."

Prying Xiao Guimu's arms away, Lou Mingxuan said, "The resting places of your father and mother are in the northern suburbs of the capital; the Princess of Bashu secretly sent people to bury them there behind the court's back. There are no words carved on the gravestone—only the single characters 'Sword' and 'Elegant' inscribed separately on the back. When you have the opportunity to visit the capital in the future, go pay your respects to them."

Unable to hold back her tears any longer, Xiao Guimu wept bitterly as she said, "I heard my mother's head was devoured by wild wolves in Beizhen; it fills me with boundless hatred..."

Lou Mingxuan comforted her, "Wait until the northern expedition succeeds, and then go there to offer sacrifices to her!"

Tearfully, Xiao Guimu agreed, "Alright."