Mr. Du still remembered the young Wei Yu’s vow.

Thus, he wavered.

Deciding whether to leave the young lady in the palace or to entrust her to a young Lord Wei was one of the most difficult decisions he had ever made.

However, deep down, Manager Du trusted the Wei family more due to their bond with the East.

Since Wei Yu dared to defy the world and risk punishment from the court to take away the young princess, why should he not dare to take risks to provide a freer path for the young lady?

Everything was prepared, but just as the carriage was less than a mile from the city gate, an unexpected change occurred.

“I refused to leave,” Zhan Ying said, her palms now sweating with anxiety.

Manager Du’s smile turned bitter. “At first, you were very well-behaved. Lord Wei prepared a soft cushioned carriage for you, and you sat quietly. He was afraid you would be scared, so he also sat with you in the carriage. He even brought a white wolf cub from somewhere. You, not recognizing it or being afraid, hugged it happily.”

“Lord Wei also bought you sugar figurines. You ate slowly, and the syrup dripped onto the white wolf’s back. It got all sticky with the syrup, and the little wolf whimpered and did not move when Lord Wei kicked its tail. It was very perceptive.”

“But as we approached the city gate, you seemed to sense something. Looking out at the dark night from the carriage window, you became frightened and said you wanted to go home and find His Highness the Crown Prince.”

If it weren’t heard firsthand, no one would believe that a five-year-old’s voice could be so hoarse.

You didn’t cry or make a fuss; you just looked at them with your big, watery eyes and repeatedly said, ‘I want Brother Jinghuan.’

It was a look of pleading that seemed to reach the soul, as if without Brother Jinghuan, life itself would be lost.

Wei Yu could not calm you down.

The imperial guards were closing in from behind.

He had no choice but to hold you and switch to horseback, firmly holding you with one arm and his spear with the other, ready to fight the guards.

Little A’Ying, not understanding any of this, heard the sound of the carriage wheels behind her.

The nine-year-old Crown Prince leaned out of the carriage and called, “A Ying.”

You looked back, your fear turning into joy, and immediately twisted to jump off the horse.

Manager Du nearly lost his breath in shock.

Fortunately, Wei Yu held you tightly.

He looked down and did not miss the change in your expression.

He wasn’t afraid of swords and spears or the thunderous penalties; but the contrast between how you saw the Crown Prince as honey and him as a wolf was like a branding iron on his heart.

At that time, you were five years old, and he was only fifteen, a boy who had just severed ties with his family, intent on avenging his elder sister, and had stirred up a major incident in the palace, becoming an outcast.

The Yellow Gate Secretary of the accompanying guards brought the imperial edict that Lord Wei’s disobedience today would not be pursued by the royal family.

He could leave the capital but had to leave behind the future Crown Princess.

Wei Yu turned a deaf ear and looked down at the little girl, asking her three times, “Do you really want to go back?”

Zhan Ying always said “yes.”

If you had cried and made a scene, Wei Yu might have had the heart to forcefully take you away.

But you didn’t cry.

You just looked at him with those half-wet, half-red eyes, and the sadness in your gaze was terrifyingly palpable.

It was as if you had lost the ability to cry but were still sorrowful.

In the end, the boy let you go.

……

Meanwhile, Wei Yu returned to the eastern palace.

He sat on a military cot, silently poured himself half a cup of cold water from the teapot on the table, and drank.

Xu Shi, who had learned about the events at the base of the mountain from the bodyguard, noticed that the leader’s expression was not good.

He mused, “General, don’t worry. It’s actually a good thing that Lady Fu has decided to sever all ties with the palace.”

“I understand.”

Xu Shi asked, “If that’s the case, why is the General unhappy?”

Wei Yu frowned.

He could tell that Lady Fu Zanyu’s resolution wasn’t just because of the Crown Prince’s private meeting with someone by the rockery yesterday.

The account of grievances seemed to be less about the Crown Prince and more about the entire palace, reflecting dissatisfaction with the Emperor and the Yu family.

“She has not been well in the palace.”

That’s why she chose such a resolute manner to confront the imperial family.

Wei Yu remembered vividly the expression of the young girl who had pleaded with him at the city gate years ago.

The girl who had once relied on the Yu family like her life had now left without a backward glance, even willing to tear her relationship with them.

Such departure indicated that her life there must have been very difficult.

Yet today, the young lady had stayed beside him all day, not mentioning anything about the palace.

She trusted him enough to call him ‘uncle,’ but she did not complain to him.

“Find someone to investigate the inner palace,” Wei Yu said coldly, “Find out what they did to her.”

Interfering in the inner palace’s affairs was usually something the Emperor was wary of, and Xu Shi glanced at the Grand Marshal’s expression, nodded without objections.

Then he asked, “Since the General cares about the young lady, why did she return separately from you?”

The strategist’s eyes were sharp.

Noticing that the masters of the southeastern halls had traveled together during the day but returned separately, he realized something had happened.

Wei Yu gave the strategist a displeased glance, then after a long silence said, “She is too innocent and kind-hearted. I couldn’t help but say a few words, which upset her,” he frowned, “and angered her.”

Xu Shi sighed deeply.

He had expected this. “Your Highness, you think of it as training soldiers, using the ‘love deeply and reprimand harshly’ approach. Lady Fu was raised in luxury, and even a single harsh word from you or a sharp look from you would intimidate her, let alone a delicate young lady.”

“It wasn’t a reprimand, nor was I harsh with her.” Wei Yu’s tone was firm but carried a hint of ambiguity.

It was because her pure and soft eyes always reminded him of that little girl from back then—gentle, fragile, yet very stubborn.

It was hard to gauge the right measure with her.

She was a vulnerable spot in his memory. From childhood to now, he had never managed to do anything about her.

After a while, the Grand Marshal asked with a heavy tone, “How about soothing the younger generation?”

Xu Shi, still retaining his habits from his farming days, placed his hands in his large sleeves and blinked, “Anyway, you shouldn’t send a wolf as a birthday gift. General, find out if there’s one available in the capital.”

Seeing Wei Yu’s face darken again, Xu Shi quickly added, “From what I know, it’s best not to let the issue linger overnight.”

Noting the silence from the other side, Xu Shi sympathetically said, “Lady Fu probably hasn’t rested yet. How about I go over and explain things, and invite someone to come and sit with her?”

Before he finished speaking, Wei Yu had already stood up and walked towards the door, saying with no expression, “On the battlefield, I never rely on others.”

The grand and bold statement implied in three words: “I will go.”

Xu Shi looked at the young man’s stubborn demeanor, his expression slightly dimmed.

Since the death of the Grand General, only when discussing related matters of Lady Wei and Madam Tang could he find a trace of the old spirit in the General.

Wei Yu had just arrived at the mountain water screen when he heard three soft knocks on the palace door.

He paused, opened the door, and saw the young lady in a moonlit embroidered dress standing outside, her figure graceful, looking up at him.

Under the dim palace lights in the eaves, Zanying clasped her hands in front of her forehead and respectfully performed a lengthy elder’s salute to Wei Yu. “Miss Fu has reflected on the Grand Marshal’s teachings and realizes she should not have trusted others too easily. I have now verified with Manager Du. May I now call you ‘uncle’?”

Without waiting for a response, she lifted her head and seriously looked at the young man’s face. He was indeed handsome and young. “If the Grand Marshal finds this term too old-fashioned, I can call you ‘little uncle.’ Would that be acceptable?”

The person before her was the benefactor who had extended a helping hand to her twice.

The first time, she was ignorant and missed the chance to escape from the fire pit, ultimately suffering the consequences of her own making.

Yet he did not begrudge her; he was still willing to appear again and extend his hand once more.

In her times of sorrow and hardship, he was like a beacon in the dark night, timely illuminating a path forward for her.

He was the sun seen through the hole of a copper coin, distant yet glaring.

Heaven gave her a second chance, and Zhan Ying did not express regret or gratitude with shallow words but simply bowed to him.

Wei Yu thought to himself that it was reflection, not anger.

He would rather she were sulking than reflecting on herself; she didn’t need to be so cautious all the time. With him, she could be uninhibited.

But the young lady was already so well-behaved.

What could he do?

His tall figure blocked the door, and after pondering deeply, he finally said softly, “Call me whatever you like. It’s up to you.”

He moved aside to let her in.

After Zan Ying followed him inside, he naturally asked, “What are your plans next?”

Wei Yu had asked this same question when they first met yesterday.

At that time, Zan Ying was not familiar with him and had answered vaguely, “Go with the flow.”

Today, Zan Ying was very straightforward, replying firmly, “Pull the tiger’s whiskers.”

Xu Shi, who had not yet left, heard these resolute words and narrowed his eyes slightly.

In reality, thinking about it, demanding repayment from the imperial family and starting with a forty-foot debt contract, no matter how reasonable or powerful she was, the imperial family was not a soft target to be manipulated.

It was akin to pulling on the whiskers of a tiger.

But with the Grand Marshal present, Xu Shi didn’t need to give advice.

He withdrew, remembering to close the door softly.

The two inside the room sat facing each other.

Wei Yu did not show much surprise and only asked, “Why?”

Zan Ying paused, understanding that he was asking about her reasons for falling out with the imperial family.

Scenes from her previous life flashed through her mind.

She couldn’t bring herself to speak about it and didn’t want to.

Looking down, she deliberately misunderstood his question, “I want to test their bottom line, strike a blow, and see how they react. I’m waiting for their response.”

The young girl, stumbling over her words about confrontation, was not taken lightly by the battle-hardened Wei Yu.

He asked, “The tiger’s mouth is wide open, with sharp teeth and claws. How do you respond?”

“Cut off its paw.”

Zan Ying answered without hesitation, her eyes bright and clear, “Replace it with another paw, and keep pulling until all the whiskers are plucked, teeth are broken, and claws are subdued.”

“And then see what else can be relied upon to cause harm beneath the snarling, ferocious façade.”

She wanted everyone who had harmed her to pay the price they deserved.

---

In the imperial palace, in the Shiqian Hall of Jiankang Palace, the Emperor and Empress were shocked by the news brought back by the Crown Prince.

“What does this mean? What is being returned?”

The impact on Yu Linghong was immense.

Her beautiful face showed signs of strain, with a harsh expression as she pointed at the bundle on the ground, trembling with anger.

“All these years, what the Du family has presented to the palace on behalf of the Tang family was all voluntarily done by him. His public display of respect for the imperial family was out of his own regard, but privately, it was for the comfort of Miss Ying. In the end, it was all for his own little master. Could it be that the palace has actively demanded this from the royal family? Looking at what is listed on this silk, it seems that half of the inner treasury has become the Tang family’s. How could this be? This is a great disrespect, and not like buying rice or vegetables in the market, with each transaction being so clearly accounted for. It’s hard to say whether there was an early plan.”

Emperor Li Yu stood by the Baobao Pavilion, silent for a long time.

He then glanced at the delicate items on the shelf and matched them with the items listed on the silk, his gaze turning solemn.

He asked the Crown Prince, “What else did Miss Fu say?”

Li Jinghuan gritted his teeth, his jawbone protruding, and finally spoke hoarsely, “She said that if the things were not returned in five days, she would go to the White Horse Temple to seek the scribe.”

The Emperor and Empress were both startled.

Yu Shi’s voice trembled, “What does she want? How dare she threaten the royal family? Is she a creditor? If the palace does not return things, she plans to make the debt public and become the laughingstock of the world?”

“Your Majesty,” Yu Shi turned to the Emperor with an expression of anger and sorrow, “This girl has turned out to be a white-eyed wolf despite the careful nurturing and protection over the years. I feared she would suffer, but in the end, she has turned against us. I plead with Your Majesty to issue an order to bring Fu Zhan Ying back to the palace to prevent the situation from worsening and to protect the royal family’s honor.”

“Do not forcibly summon people,” Li Jinghuan reacted quickly. “Mother, she’s just temporarily lost her senses.”

Yu Linghong, furious, retorted, “My son still holds feelings for that girl.”

“Enough,” Emperor Li Yu interrupted Yu’s noisy complaints with a heavy tone, removing the yellow sandalwood bead bracelet from his wrist and fiddling with it to calm himself, contemplating a response.

At that moment, the Emperor suddenly remembered that this bracelet, which he had grown accustomed to, was also a gift from Zanying.

He felt a pang of frustration.

Initially intending to put it aside, he felt the smooth touch under his fingers and returned it to his wrist.

“Crown Prince, when Zan Ying spoke, the Grand Marshal was also present,” the Emperor said.

Li Jinghuan’s expression darkened at the mention of the Grand Marshal. “He did not make an appearance in the carriage.”

Empress Yu observed the Emperor’s demeanor and timidly asked, “Does Your Majesty mean that the Grand Marshal was behind this, encouraging Zanying to act this way?”

The Emperor was no longer swayed by her insinuations and snorted lightly, “He’s just capable of being forceful. What is there to consider? Does a child not sleep in their own room, isn’t that known?”

Empress Yu immediately recalled the two-foot-long spear mark on the vermillion column in the bedroom.

This was the greatest shame of her life.

The Emperor’s spontaneous exposure of her shortcomings clearly indicated his anger, disregarding any feelings and blaming her for the mess.

Empress Yu felt a surge of sorrow.

After years of bearing children and managing the harem diligently for the Emperor, she was still less favored than the deceased.

Even her younger brother’s rebellious behavior was tolerated by the Emperor, yet she was left to lament the state of her own family’s remains.

But Empress Yu could not show any dissatisfaction or grievance towards the Emperor.