The carriage swayed and bumped as it arrived at a secluded residence within the city.
The three of them alighted. Outside the courtyard gate stood a servant. On seeing them, he quickly ushered them in and led them to the main room.
The main room was thick with a chaotic, lingering scent of medicine.
Magistrate Gu lay on the bed, groaning continuously. On seeing them, he immediately fell silent.
He motioned for a servant to help him up and was about to rise and salute.
Chao Yan gently pressed him back down. “Magistrate Gu need not be so formal.”
Magistrate Gu glanced at the two men behind him. Neither reacted. From what he had gathered from the servants about the reinforcements, he roughly guessed Chao Yan’s identity. Trembling, he lay back down again, forcing a smile.
“Sir, gentlemen, thank you for taking the time to visit this humble official. I have been at death’s door, truly… truly…”
He squeezed out a couple of tears, attempting to perform. Chao Yan did not allow him the opportunity.
“Magistrate Gu defended Zhuyang County against the enemy with great courage, sustaining serious injuries and nearly losing his life. His loyalty is admirable. I will submit a memorial to the court on your behalf. The court should not neglect such a capable and loyal official.”
Magistrate Gu’s heart lurched.
He might not know exactly how he had been injured. But this man certainly did. And to submit a memorial in praise of him was clearly not praise at all, but a way of sending him to his death.
Magistrate Gu scrambled off the bed and collapsed onto the floor like a limp sack.
“Sir, please. Please do not take issue with me. I have served diligently in Zhuyang County for so many years.”
Chao Yan replied calmly, “What are you saying? Would I ever target a meritorious official?”
Magistrate Gu kowtowed repeatedly, tears and mucus streaming down his face.
“When Zhuyang County is stable, I will submit my resignation. At my age, I should return home to retire and enjoy my grandchildren.”
Chao Yan said, “At the very least, you should wait until your term ends and a suitable successor is appointed before resigning.”
The “limp sack” nodded frantically in agreement.
“Seeing that Magistrate Gu is well, I am reassured. Magistrate Gu, I heard you personally confirmed that the enemy is divided into two groups, one attacking Zhuyang County last night and the other attacking Yanlin County tonight. Is that correct?”
The man hesitated, then stammered his agreement.
“Pass orders to Commander Zhang and Commander Zhao. Assemble the troops immediately and proceed to Yanlin County.” Chao Yan turned and left, Meng Xuan and the other following behind him.
The magistrate thought to himself: Wang Gong is finished this time. Good. He deserves it. He gritted his teeth. Who told him to drag me into this mess?
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a limping scholar and a steward squeezing into the room. His temper flared.
“Get out!”
When Gu Yun woke, it was already completely dark. The bed beside him was cold. He did not know how long the other person had been gone.
He did not know what had been in the medicine, but he had not felt hungry after drinking it. Now, however, the hunger had returned.
A single lamp burned in the corner of the room. Everywhere else was dim.
Gu Yun sat up and noticed a set of new clothes placed on a stool by the bed.
A light lotus-purple silk jacket with subtle patterns, a dark green velvet vest, a moon-white silk sash with colourful tassels at the ends, a finely pleated skirt, and plain trousers. The quality was far superior to his previous clothes, which had been plain hemp. This set included silk, velvet, and fine cotton in layered colours and patterns. It must have been among the best available in the county.
Beside the bed was a pair of finely made shoes with upturned toes and delicate embroidered flowers, with plain cotton socks inside.
His first reaction was to calculate how much it had all cost. The conclusion was not reassuring, and he frowned.
The cost of treatment, plus these clothes, would likely leave them in debt even if they sold everything the county magistrate had given them.
Although he had previously only owned two sets of new clothes, he still had an old set, so he would not be left without anything to wear if the new ones were damaged.
With growing concern for the future, he put the clothes on. They were not difficult to wear, especially for someone who had seen tutorials on ancient dress before.
He got up and went to the washing basin, intending to check whether his original clothes were still there. If they were, he could wash and mend them and continue wearing them.
He had already been heartbroken when the clothes were torn. If they were gone now, he would genuinely be devastated.
The basin was empty.
Gu Yun: “…”
He immediately revised his thinking. No, even if they were not lost, he would still have been heartbroken.
He went to the bamboo basket and checked the rest of his clothes. They were all there, fortunately… but there were two additional sets.
He blinked, wondering if he was seeing things. He closed his eyes, opened them again. They were still there.
Were there really no debts at home now?
He decided to wait for Lin Yue to return and persuade him to return the two sets. If he refused, there was nothing he could do. He could not afford to be cold with him, since the money had been spent on him.
He could not understand why someone as capable as Lin Yue would do something like this. Unless there was some hidden reason.
As he thought this, he covered the bamboo basket and prepared to satisfy his starving stomach. He opened the door casually, only to be startled.
Two sturdy men stood outside. Their eyes met his, and before he could ask anything, they immediately cupped their fists in salute.
“Madam.”
Madam?
Who?
He looked around once, then finally confirmed they were addressing him.
He retreated into the room and closed the door. Beneath his calm exterior, his heart pounded heavily.
“Madam” was the term used for an official’s wife.
So far, everyone had been calling him “niangzi”.
Could it be that Lin Yue had recovered his memory? That he was actually an official?
No turning back now. He must have recovered his memory.
Perhaps it had started when he first behaved strangely, and today the change felt complete. Earlier it may have been partial recovery, and now it was full.
If that were not the case, where had those two men come from? Why were they calling him Madam? Why had Lin Yue been spending money without restraint? And why had the magistrate been so courteous towards him before?
Yet he had never heard anyone address Lin Yue as “my lord”. In recent days, apart from two magistrates calling him “nephew”, everyone else had called him “sir”.
He was not familiar with the etiquette of this world.
However, he knew that in some dynasties, “sir” was not used for commoners. If, as he suspected, this world was structured like a novel with elements drawn from historical dynasties, then calling officials “sir” would make sense.
But it was still strange that magistrates would address someone they treated so carefully as “nephew”.
In ancient times, even if a lower-ranking official was older than a higher-ranking one, they could not casually use such familial terms unless there were deep family ties.
And there was no way two magistrates would both have close ties to Lin Yue’s family. Officials were not permitted to serve in their own home regions. Their origins would be scattered across different provinces. It was impossible for such connections to be widespread.
There was only one reasonable explanation. Lin Yue was indeed an official, but one whose rank was lower than theirs, while his family background was significantly superior.
An official of excellent background who had regained his memory…
So why had he not dealt with this fraud yet?
Gu Yun twisted his sleeves, feeling as though he were burning from within. He pressed his cheek against the door, the cold surface startling him. Then, suddenly, he smiled.
Of course. There was only one reason left.
He touched his own face.
He was good-looking.
He had known this since childhood. A good-looking person could not be unaware of it, because the world treated them differently from the beginning. People’s gazes lingered on them longer. He had always been liked for this face.
Someone like Lin Yue would not be immune to such things.
It was not probably. It was certainly not immune.
Which meant the situation was clear. The other party had already shown it.
So in that case, should he still confess the truth?
He suspected very strongly that Lin Yue had not exposed him only because he liked his female identity and was willing to overlook the deception.
If he confessed now…
He had never feared officials before, because there had always been distance. Now there was none. One word from the other man could crush him like a mountain.
He was too thin, too young, and had never truly experienced the world.
So the safest choice was not to confess. Instead, he should find an opportunity and leave immediately.
He did not know Lin Yue well.
They had only known each other for about a month. Some people spend their entire lives together and still never understand each other. And sometimes, he was afraid of Lin Yue. The man was too powerful, as though he could see straight through him.
If the truth were exposed, he might lose control entirely and hold him accountable. He did not want to return to prison. It was dirty, chaotic, and dark, full of prisoners and rats.
After calming himself, he opened the door and went towards the kitchen.
A servant saw him and said respectfully, “Madam, you do not need to cook. Sir has booked a table at Feihong Restaurant. Would you like it delivered, or would you prefer to go there by carriage?”
Gu Yun said quietly, “No need.”
A table like that would cost too much. Even if he confessed later, he would still have to repay it. He could not afford it.
He only wanted to survive here, not live in luxury.
The servant replied, “Madam, the meal cannot be cancelled.”
“Why?”
“The payment has already been made and the ingredients prepared. If it is not used, it would be wasted.”
This sounds exactly like something Lin Yue would say. He strongly suspected this had been arranged by Lin Yue.
Still, he sighed. Since it was already paid for, he resigned himself to it and went to the restaurant.
The meal was extravagant, covering land, sea, and air, accompanied by vegetables and fruits, filling the table completely. The taste was far better than anything he could cook, and he ate for nearly two hours.
Even so, he had not finished half.
Earlier, he had tried to invite the attendants to eat with him, but they refused, insisting it was against the rules.
He gave up.
After eating too much, and since it was not yet curfew, he went for a walk by the river to digest.
The two attendants followed behind him.
The night wind carried moisture from the river, slightly cold against the skin, though he felt warm inside, so warm that his wounds began to itch faintly.
He decided to return.
Just then, under the dim moonlight, two figures rushed towards them along the stone path.
“Who goes there!” the attendants shouted, drawing their swords and shielding him immediately.
At the same time, more attendants emerged from the shadows.
…
Yanlin County Yamen.
A constable rushed into the back courtyard. Someone reached it faster, leaping inside and shouting, “My lord, a large group has surrounded the yamen. The leader says Yanlin County has been targeted by bandits, and infiltrators are already inside the residence. This is for your protection!”
He ran too fast, and the stench of blood in the courtyard tripped him, sending him sprawling.
When he lifted his head, the first thing he saw was a pool of dark red blood. At its centre stood a thick wooden post with iron hooks, on which hung two unrecognisable corpses in black.
Nearby, his master sat in a chair, muttering about incompetence, while his entire family stood trembling like leaves.
The attendant froze.
“My lord, please give us instructions. What should we do? These people clearly mean trouble!”
Magistrate Wang sighed. “Instructions? What can I do?”
“How could this be? My lord, you are all-powerful…”
Magistrate Wang gave a strange smile. “Then can I stand against those truly above us?”
The attendant stared at him blankly.
“If I had known earlier, this plan should have been advanced,” Wang said. He stood, changed into official robes, walked into the front office, and sat down.
“Please invite His Highness in.”
“His Highness?” the attendant gasped, but did not dare ask further.
He hurried outside to the group and bowed deeply to the leader. “Your Highness, my master requests your presence.”
The leader laughed. “There are people from the Court of Judicial Review, the capital guards, and the border troops here, yet none of them are the ones your master wishes to see. What exactly is he planning? Does he think we are beneath his notice?”
Before the attendant could respond, a tall man like a bear shoved him aside.
“San-lang, why waste words on him?” he said, striding inside.
Meng Xuan gave a faint laugh, nodded towards Chao Yan, and the two followed on closely. Behind them, a full contingent of troops filed in. The attendants tried to block them but were nearly shoved aside.
When Magistrate Wang saw the three of them, his gaze locked onto Chao Yan. He cupped his hands in salute and said, “Yanlin County Magistrate Wang Gong pays respects to Your Highness.”
Chao Yan said nothing. He gave him a cool, indifferent look, then turned and sat down. Magistrate Wang straightened and said, “I was previously unaware of Your Highness’s identity and have been greatly disrespectful. I hope Your Highness will be magnanimous.”
Meng Xuan and the other man stood to one side. Upon hearing this, Ning Fu shot Magistrate Wang a sidelong glance and gave a cold snort.
Chao Yan took a neatly folded sheet of paper from his sleeve and said, “Magistrate Wang, these are the confessions of the two bandits captured by Commander Ning and his men. Would you care to take a look?”
Magistrate Wang stiffened. He took it and lowered his eyes to unfold it.
It was a copied confession, stating that he had recruited several hundred strong men to form a militia, colluded with roaming bandits across various regions, and so on.
The attack on Zhuyang County, led by the county government itself, was his doing.
Attached to the confession was a list: militia members who participated in the attack, with promises of compensation and reward; bandits who took part would receive half of the people and property within the county office, while the other half would go to him. He would also help certain individuals register new household records.
Chao Yan said, “Magistrate Wang, what do you have to say?”
Magistrate Wang replied, “What benefit would I gain from attacking Zhuyang County?”
Chao Yan said, “Attempting to assassinate the Crown Prince and shaking the foundations of the state.”
Magistrate Wang said, “Your Highness, you must not believe the enemy’s one-sided claims.”
Chao Yan replied, “With witnesses and material evidence, how can this be one-sided? Forming militias, colluding with bandits, plotting regicide and treason. Every single charge is a capital offence!”
As for militias, the court did not normally permit their formation, except in border regions or areas with severe security issues.
This was not only a violation by Magistrate Wang; the local gentry of Zhuyang County were also in breach. However, Chao Yan had not pursued the latter.
If he were to pursue every violation, there would be no end to it. The world was vast; Zhuyang County was hardly unique.
Forced punishment would only stir up widespread unrest. Moreover, much of the reason these militias existed was court corruption and military failure to guarantee safety. Punishing them would only treat the symptoms, not the cause. This required long-term consideration.
Magistrate Wang’s expression darkened. Then, suddenly, he laughed.
“Your Highness, what exactly do you intend to do with me? I thought you had people watching me so I would not leave this place because you wanted to speak properly with me. It seems I was mistaken.”
“Speak properly?” Ning Fu sneered. “Do you think you’re worthy of that?”
Magistrate Wang said, “My lord, perhaps you do not know. The remaining men under my command, upon hearing of the trouble here, have taken an entire village hostage. Only if I leave safely will those people be allowed to return unharmed.”
“You dare threaten His Highness here?” Ning Fu shouted furiously.
Magistrate Wang said calmly, “How would I dare? Your Highness, your people are already my guests.”
At that, Chao Yan smiled slowly.
“I could not previously confirm whether you were bluffing. Now I can.”
He drew Ning Fu’s sword.
A flash of cold blade light streaked across the wall. Blood splattered, and amid the screams of the officials, something heavy hit the ground.
Chao Yan said evenly, “Magistrate Wang orchestrated everything. However, the plan was exposed, implicating all involved. The bandits, suffering heavy losses, refused to be dragged further into it and, in anger, killed him before fleeing. Order Zhang and Zhao to seal off Yanlin County government office and arrest all personnel inside. San-lang, Commander Ning, assist them. Make it clear: no harassment or sexual violence is permitted. Any violation will be dealt with under military law. Magistrate Wang’s assets are to be partially confiscated and used to reward the soldiers.”
He raised his blood-spattered lashes.
“In two hours, announce to the outside world that the enemy has been fully eliminated. Release anyone not closely connected to Magistrate Wang so they may spread the news that he is dead. As long as you present the bandits who killed him, that will be sufficient for accountability. There is no need to pursue this endlessly.”
Ning Fu asked, “Your Highness, didn’t you just say Magistrate Wang was bluffing?”
Chao Yan replied, “The first claim may have been a bluff. The second definitely is. This is only a precaution. If his subordinates truly committed harm against the people, then upon hearing this news, anyone unwilling to live a life of wandering exile will hesitate.”
“At that point, once the troops withdraw to camp, Zhuyang County will host a banquet to receive the reinforcements. Then those people will release the captives and return home.”
Ning Fu nodded, then said, “So we just let them go like this?”
Chao Yan said, “As for Magistrate Wang’s case, I will report it to my father. The Emperor will send people to investigate thoroughly. We will only take those necessary to take, and not overreach.”
He tossed the bloodstained sword back to Ning Fu. “I am injured and should not overexert myself. I will return first. Thank you for your hard work.”
Meng Xuan and the others replied, “We respectfully see Your Highness off.”
…
Gu Yun returned from the riverbank to his rented room, still troubled over whether he should ask Lin Yue to help Zhao-niangzi.
Earlier, Jiang san-niang had brought Zhao-niangzi to beg him to save her child.
Gu Yun immediately recognised Zhao-niangzi as the thin, dark-faced man who had once watched the Feng family blaze with an oddly complicated expression, as though carrying a trace of vengeful satisfaction.
Even though the person’s skin was now fairer and they were dressed in women’s clothing, he still recognised him at a glance.
Jiang san-niang had pulled Zhao-niangzi to her knees and explained everything.
Zhao-niangzi was Zhao Shuilai’s wife. She had not died; Jiang san-niang had saved her. To avoid retaliation from Jailer Feng and the others, she had arranged for Zhao-niangzi to be recorded as dead.
As for her child, he had been adopted by one of Zhao Shuilai’s maternal uncles.
However, Zhao-niangzi could not let go of her hatred for Jailer Feng and his group, and forced Jiang san-niang to help her infiltrate the Feng household. She then drugged the food.
Although Jiang san-niang was merely a concubine, most household duties fell to her, including cooking. Unaware of the tampering, she served the meals. Only after everyone had eaten did she realise something was wrong.
By then, she had already finished cleaning the kitchen and taken her own meal back to her room, intending to eat with Zhao-niangzi.
After discovering the situation, Zhao-niangzi drove everyone out of the Feng household, poured oil, and set the residence on fire.
Originally, Zhao-niangzi intended to kill herself afterwards. However, since no one traced the matter back to her, she could not bring herself to die. She went to Jiang’s household and helped Jiang san-niang with work instead.
Before the county government incident, Jiang san-niang could not stop her from going to see her child.
When she did, she discovered the child was starving, poorly clothed, forced to work daily, and regularly beaten. It turned out the uncle had adopted the child only to seize Zhao-niangzi’s house in the county town and her remaining assets.
Zhao-niangzi was both furious and full of regret, but she could not take her child back. Jiang san-niang knew Zhao-niangzi harboured resentment towards her, and she herself felt guilty too. If only she had allowed her to take the child away in the first place.
After much thought, they came to beg at his door.
Jiang san-niang said, “The only people we know who matter are you two.”
At the time, Gu Yun did not immediately agree, only telling them to return the next morning.
Not because he thought Lin Yue would refuse or was unable to help.
From his observations, Lin Yue was not someone fiercely righteous, but if he was willing, he would certainly help. Moreover, he had almost never refused Gu Yun’s requests. And with Lin Yue’s position, resolving this matter would be effortless.
What troubled him now was the fear that once the truth was revealed in future, Zhao-niangzi and the others might be implicated because of him.
After thinking it through for a long while, Gu Yun still decided to ask Lin Yue. It was within his ability.
Once Zhao-niangzi had reclaimed her child, she could leave immediately and start anew elsewhere. As for Jiang san-niang, he would not mention her. She should not be dragged into it.
Having made up his mind, Gu Yun sat at the table, reading while waiting for Lin Yue.
He waited and waited, but Lin Yue did not return.
Unable to sit still, Gu Yun took his book outside, stood at the courtyard gate, and looked down the road. No one was there. He walked a few steps further into the street, where there were more people, but still no sign of Lin Yue.
Just as he was about to turn back, he spotted a furtive figure climbing out from the house opposite.
“Thief!” Gu Yun called out immediately.
The attendants leapt forward at once, subdued the man in a few swift moves, and searched him.
A loosely wrapped cloth bundle fell out. Gu Yun took it, and its contents spilled onto the ground: a few taels of silver, a string of copper coins, newly made cloth shoes, and an undergarment.
He crouched to pick them up and noticed a slightly crumpled piece of paper tucked inside. It was a notice for a rouge shop manager position.
After reading it through, Gu Yun was delighted to discover that he was more than qualified for the role.
He carefully packed everything up, returned it to the owner who had come running after the thief, drank a cup of tea in thanks, and happily headed back to his rented room. If not for his injuries, he would have practically skipped all the way back.
His attendants followed behind him in silence, exchanging glances, thinking he must be a kind-hearted person who became happy after helping others.
Just after he returned to his room, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard.
Lin Yue, perhaps?
He peeked out. It was not Lin Yue, but a group of unfamiliar men instead.
The leader wore black robes, while the others wore county garrison uniforms. He had seen such soldiers patrolling the town earlier that evening.
The leader bowed and said, “Madam.”
Gu Yun did not know how to respond and simply gave a small sound of acknowledgement.
The leader lowered his voice. “This humble general has business with Your Highness. May I ask if Your Highness is within the residence?”
Gu Yun: “???”
What?
Who’s Your Highness?
Before he could process anything, hoofbeats rang out in the distance, growing rapidly louder. Soon, a group of riders arrived.
At their head was Lin Yue.
He sat astride his horse, moonlight behind him, his figure swallowed by shadow. Even the shadow cast by his body seemed to engulf Gu Yun.
He tightened the reins, lowered his gaze, and said, “What are you all doing here?”
Gu Yun caught a faint trace of blood on him. Taking the lantern from a servant, he looked more closely and noticed a change in colour on his grey-blue robe.
“Your Highness,” the leader said, bowing, “this humble general has matters to report.”
Gu Yun turned slowly to look at him, then back at Lin Yue.
Gu Yun: “……”
He thought, I am not feeling very well. I would like to die a little.
