Leaving the Capital

The continuous gloomy rain had lasted for three days, and today it had finally cleared up somewhat.

The horizon remained a hazy gray, pregnant with the look of impending rain.

Xia Yunhe stood under the veranda, unable to suppress a slight shiver. The medicinal bowl in her hands trembled gently. Pressing her lips tightly together, she tilted her head back and drained the bitter, astringent liquid. Behind her, footsteps suddenly halted, accompanied by the faint sound of boots stamping off moisture, echoing against the damp ground.

The footsteps carried the stickiness of the post-rain air. She smiled without turning back and instructed, "Zhenniang, prepare to leave."

"My lord, it is Sanniang."

Xia Yunhe spun around instantly, her brows furrowed, her piercing gaze locking onto Sanniang’s face.

Just yesterday, she had told Sanniang that she was demoted to Yinjun, a bitter and distant frontier. She had released Sanniang to reunite with Xu Xing, and even gifted her twenty taels of silver as a wedding present for the two of them. Having clearly watched the young woman depart, why had she returned today?

Xia Yunhe could not understand.

She asked, "What is the matter?"

Sanniang fished the pouch of silver from her bosom and offered it back to Xia Yunhe with both hands. When Xia Yunhe refused to take it, a look of grievance washed over Sanniang's face.

"With your future uncertain on this journey, how could I abandon you and leave now? Everyone in the capital knows I am Lord Xia's concubine. To leave at such a time—would that not invite gossip?"

Xia Yunhe’s voice was calm and gentle. "Sanniang, it is precisely because the path ahead is uncertain that I should not bring you. You are a free woman, not a bondservant of the Xia family. You were innocently dragged into these turbulent events, survived brushes with death, traveled a thousand miles to deliver a letter for me, and spoke with righteousness—I remember all of it. I hope you and Xu Xing can live a peaceful life, in wedded harmony, without following me north to court danger."

Everyone naturally preferred a life of ease, and these words struck a chord in Sanniang’s heart. Having traveled from place to place with a theater troupe since childhood, she dreamed of nothing more than a devoted husband who cared for her warmth and cold. With a good match right before her eyes, how could her heart not be moved?

Sanniang lowered her gaze, bit her lip in thought for a moment, and said, "Wedded harmony is indeed wonderful, but Master Xu said, 'If the two hearts are forever one, does it matter if they are together day and night?' I wish to accompany you to the frontier. If I can be of any help to you, I will be happy. When we return from the frontier, I can reunite with Master Xu then. At that time, my lord can gift us another grand wedding present."

Xia Yunhe stood motionless, shaking her head firmly and slowly.

Sanniang took a step forward, a brilliant light flashing in her eyes. "My lord, though you are a woman, you possess an ambition and courage that surpass any man. I have never studied books, nor can I read, but I too have aspirations in my heart. I want to see the lands beyond the frontier with my own eyes. I want to be like you—I want to be, I want to become a woman like you. If I had never met you, I would neither believe nor dare to hope, but having seen you, these yearnings have grown wildly. I want to follow you to see the world outside, perhaps..."

"Perhaps I too can achieve immortal merit on the battlefield, so that those who look down upon me can see clearly that I, Sanniang, am also a true and formidable hero."

The spirited glow between the young woman's brows brought to mind the very first time Xia Yunhe had met her. Feeling that burst of vitality, Xia Yunhe momentarily wondered if she was being overly cautious and unnecessarily high-strung at times.

Though she thought thus, the words that left her lips were ruthlessly cold.

"The battlefield is a place of nine deaths and zero life; it is no child's play. Though Shangdu has its storms, it is ultimately a safer place for you."

Sanniang’s eyes instantly lost their luster. She nodded gently, her voice almost inaudible. "I understand."

With that, she turned and hurried away, her figure gradually fading into the fine drizzle.

A droplet of water rolled off the eaves, landing precisely on the web of Xia Yunhe's left hand. She sighed.

Shangdu city was raining once again.

Muffled thunder rolled across the sky, and the long street was veiled in sheets of rain. Everyone hurried along with urgent steps, save for Xia Yunhe and Zhenniang, each holding a blue oil-paper umbrella as they walked slowly against the wind and rain toward the city gates. The puddles pooled on the ground stretched out their reflections, and the wind ruffled the water's surface into ripples.

Raindrops pattered down the umbrella ribs, dampening the wide sleeves of Xia Yunhe's robe. She raised her umbrella to gaze into the distance; the Changfeng Post Station stood enshrouded in wind and rain, serene and quiet.

Gathering her spirits, she called to Zhenniang and strode directly into the post station.

Putting away their umbrellas and stepping into the main hall, they saw two clerks huddled over the counter cross-checking ledgers.

At a table on the left near the stairs, Xia Yunhe spotted four familiar faces: Mr. Mobai, Xu Xing, Sanniang, and Qian He'er.

Xia Yunhe froze, her brows locking together as her gaze fixed upon Sanniang's face.

"This..."

Mr. Mobai greeted her with a warm smile. "My young friend, we have been waiting for a long time."

***

Sanniang quietly slipped away to the side.

Xia Yunhe withdrew her gaze and offered a deep, respectful bow of greeting to Mr. Mobai.

Mr. Mobai said, "Thank you, young friend, for extending a helping hand to Zihuai."

A look of blank confusion crossed Xia Yunhe's face. She stared blankly at Mr. Mobai for a moment before realization dawned. "You knew all along?"

To her surprise, Mr. Mobai merely chuckled, stroking his graying beard. "I have always known."

The old man smiled cheerfully, his eyes bright and alert, entirely clear of aging cloudiness, radiating the profound insight of one accustomed to the ways of the world.

Since matters had reached this point, further words were unnecessary. Mr. Mobai picked up a thick roll of soft, oiled-paper-wrapped and tied Xuan paper from the bench behind him and said, "As my young friend is about to embark on a distant journey, this old man has nothing grand to offer. Please accept these sheets of Xuan paper."

Paper was not a particularly precious item, but it was precisely what Xia Yunhe needed. She bowed deeply to Mr. Mobai once more and accepted the paper.

This business concluded, Xu Xing invited her outside to speak.

A sudden cool breeze swept through, shattering the string of raindrops hanging from the eaves. Looking into the distance, the mountains were dark and wild, wreathed in mist.

Xu Xing tucked his hands into his sleeves, hesitated for a long moment, and said, "Lord Xia, this Xu has wasted half his life, with no hope of official success and few close friends..."

How familiar was this rhetoric? Xia Yunhe felt a tightening at her scalp and smiled as she interrupted him. "Master Xu, if you have something to say, please speak plainly."

"I wish to accompany you all to Yinjun." As Xu Xing’s voice fell, he let out a breath as if unburdened of a heavy weight.

Xia Yunhe glanced back inside the room but could not find Sanniang's figure. Turning back to look at Xu Xing, she thought to herself: how did this couple discuss this to arrive at such identical conclusions!

"I worry about Sanniang going alone. I wish to leave Shangdu and venture out alongside you, Lord Xia."

The considerations occupying Xu Xing's mind did not align with Xia Yunhe's purpose for this journey. She was not going on a sightseeing tour, nor to broaden her horizons, nor to escape trouble. Heading north to Yinjun meant facing wave upon wave of danger...

Xia Yunhe let out a breath and explained that she would not be taking Sanniang with her, urging Xu Xing to stay and live a peaceful life with his wife instead.

In contrast, Xu Xing remained silent, clearly dissatisfied with her answer. The atmosphere instantly grew tense and stagnant.

"This..." Xia Yunhe's brows twitched as she smiled and said to Xu Xing, "Master Xu, I own a sundries shop in the West Market, usually managed by Third Master Fu. Now that we are leaving the capital, the shop has no one to tend to it. If Master Xu has some spare time, I would be grateful if you could look after it."

Seeing that Xu Xing still hesitated, Xia Yunhe added, "Master Xu, though I am leaving the capital, the Xia family's intelligence network in Shangdu cannot be broken."

Hearing this, Xu Xing looked up at her, a hint of incomprehension in his eyes.

Xia Yunhe said, "Northern Rong dark agents are wreaking havoc in the capital. The dozen or so death cases in the Zhaoyu Prison recently, and the wolf-venom case before that, are inseparable from these agents. As you know, the scourge of the Northern Rong has persisted for a long time. The Xia family has already received the Emperor's mandate to re-establish the Night-Watchers to deal with the Northern Rong. With the Northern Rong harboring wild ambitions and countless spies lurking in Shangdu, I want Master Xu to be Shangdu's eyes. If there is any unusual movement in the capital, send word promptly."

Xu Xing was startled, then bowed deeply. "Publicly or privately, this is something I shall risk my life to fulfill."

Xia Yunhe smiled faintly. "The key is under the third blue brick to the right of the threshold, and there is still some money in the ledgers you can draw upon. Master Xu, I leave this in your hands."

...

Muffled thunder rolled once more, and the rain grew heavier.

Qian He'er, wearing a coarse hempen tunic and holding an umbrella, came over from the back courtyard. Seeing Xia Yunhe, he saluted and reported that the carriage and horses were prepared and they could depart as soon as the rain stopped.

Aside from Mr. Mobai, the others were unfazed, knowing that Qian He'er was a man of the Prince of Qin; who would dare to actually order him around? Xia Yunhe muttered a few vague words and let him be.

Xia Yunhe swept her gaze across the main hall, failing to find Sanniang. Internally she sighed softly, then smiled as she exchanged pleasantries with the others.

Just as they were speaking, a piercing whinny of a horse cut through the sound of the rain, sounding exceptionally abrupt amidst their conversation.

Xia Yunhe followed the others to look outside, only to see two riders approaching. Both wore rain hats and straw rain capes, pulling their horses to a halt outside the post station. One remained mounted and motionless, while the other, a heavily built man, leaped down from his saddle and strode over to her in a few swift strides. Cupping his fists, he said, "Lord Xia, His Highness has ordered me to escort you along the way."

The newcomer removed his rain hat—it was none other than Wei Sizhao.

***

Whether the "Highress" in Wei Sizhao's words referred to Princess Lanjiar or the Prince of Qin, Xia Yunhe could not be certain. She gazed intently as the rider shook the reins, dug their heels fiercely into the horse's flanks, wheeled the mount around, and plunged back into the curtain of rain, leaving behind only a trail of fading hoofbeats.

If she had been uncertain before, she was clear now: aside from Princess Lanjiar, that person could be no one else.

She offered a slight bow in the direction where the princess had vanished, then turned with a smile to Wei Sizhao. "There shouldn't be anyone else now, right?"

Everyone laughed. Just as they were speaking, a head popped out from the upper floor, shouting loudly to greet Xia Yunhe.

"Lord Xia? Why are you here?"

Everyone raised their heads to look upstairs. The man patted his forehead in sudden realization. "Ah, you're heading off to that place called Yinjun."

Mr. Mobai smiled and said, "Young friend, it seems this young brother knows you as well."

The visitor had an unfamiliar face and was not acquainted with her.

Even with her good memory, she froze for a long time before asking, "Commander Mu?"

Mu Xiunian laughed heartily, sliding down the staircase as he said, "I'm a commoner now; what commander am I? Although I received your guidance during the Dragon Boat Festival, Lord Xia, the thief was truly cunning. Now I am stripped of official duties and light of foot."

Xia Yunhe glanced at Wei Sizhao, who rubbed his nose and silently slipped out the door.

She smiled and asked, "What does Young Master Mu intend to do now?"

Mu Xiunian's eyes lit up. Saying "wait a moment," he rushed eagerly upstairs. Before long, he came back down with a brownish-hemp bundle strapped to his back, paid for his room at the counter, and joined the group.

"Lord Xia, my ancestors rose to prominence by enlisting at the border. With my martial arts skills, I am heading north to try my luck."

"You are going to enlist in the army?"

Mu Xiunian laughed cheerfully. "Precisely that. Lord Xia, the journey will be tedious; let's travel together as companions. With my martial arts, I'll ensure you have a safe and peaceful journey."

Mr. Mobai chimed in, "One more person means one more helper, one more protector. It adds an extra layer of safety for my young friend."

Mu Xiunian asked, "Who else is there?"

Xu Xing pointed outside. "Xia Zhao, he went out."

"Lord Xia, then it's settled. We'll travel together—it's safer." Mu Xiunian clapped his hands together and stood up to search outside. "I'll go find this Brother Xia."

Xia Yunhe did not dare to say much more, watching as Mu Xiunian took long strides and walked out into the rain.

...

The rain began to ease.

Bidding farewell to the others, Qian He'er had prepared two carriages. One behind the other, their wheels crunched across the muddy, water-filled potholes as they rolled into the distance.

Gentle breezes blew, carrying a pleasant chill. Tree branches swayed with the wind, and Shangdu city was gradually left behind by the carriages, swallowed up amidst the rolling mountains.

...

Fine droplets of rain tumbled into the pond, and colorful koi fish poked their heads to the surface one by one. Standing by the bank, a figure dressed in bright imperial yellow was scattering fish food into the pond handful by handful.

"Uncle, how is it that he has such great tenacity? Could he be like a cat, possessing nine lives?"

Below, a man with fierce, bulging eyes and thick brows bowed and replied, "Rest assured, Your Highness. This subject has already dispatched death-squad assassins to intercept and kill Xia Yunhe along the road."

The Crown Prince curved his lips into a light smile. "Uncle, exercise some restraint; don't end up dragging the Liu family down with it."