Chapter 4

Just as the two were staring at each other in silence, a carriage approached from the north. 

From its appearance, it was just an ordinary kind—something a commoner could hire with a small sum of silver. 

The carriage stopped before them, and the driver, a sturdy middle-aged woman, swiftly jumped down and gave them a courteous bow. “My master has instructed me to give you two ladies a ride.” 

At first glance, Zhang Yuying could tell the owner must not wish to reveal their identity. Yet, she couldn’t determine whether they were friend or foe or whether her own lady would accept this act of kindness. 

When she came back to her senses, she saw Qiao Ling already climbing onto the carriage with ease. 

Zhang Yuying couldn’t help but chuckle silently. She lifted her skirt and followed closely behind. “I thought you might at least ask a few questions first.” 

Qiao Ling sighed wearily, her expression bleak. “I don’t have a carriage do you think it’s because I don’t want one?” 

Zhang Yuying smilled warmly, her beauty so dazzling that it seemed to light up the simple carriage interior. 

From outside, the sturdy woman called out, “Sit tight, ladies, we’re leaving now!” With a crisp snap of the whip, the carriage wheels began to roll forward. 

Inside the carriage, however, the atmosphere was subtly complicated. 

Zhang Yuying, coming from a family of officials and known for her sharp intellect and keen judgment of people, found herself unsure about the woman who had just spent a fortune to acquire her. 

The woman, Qiao Ling, claimed to be the wife of Jiang Hongdu, the Duke of Yue. She had a lively and beautiful face, with a complexion unlike the pale skin prized by the noblewomen of the Divine Capital it was a sun-kissed, light wheat color. She was tall, with a strong, well-proportioned figure. 

What caught Zhang Yuying’s attention most were Qiao Ling’s exceptionally bright eyes. 

She didn’t seem to come from a prestigious background. 

Her clothes were plain, made from ordinary southern fabrics, and the gold hairpin she wore while treasured by commoners wouldn’t mean much to those in official households. 

And her hands… 

Earlier, when signing several official documents under the supervision of a clerk at the Taichang Temple, Zhang Yuying noticed that Qiao Ling’s hands didn’t belong to someone accustomed to a life of luxury. 

Combining this with the subtle southern accent in Qiao Ling’s speech, Zhang Yuying came to a tentative conclusion: This was likely a woman from a southern gentry or lower-ranking official’s family, who had secured a fortunate marriage with the Duke of Yue’s household. 

But her demeanor didn’t match this assumption. 

When the bidding began, Zhang Yuying had been behind the scenes, listening. How else would she have known that someone was competing with the Prince of Lu’s estate and managed to find a way to offer her own savings of three thousand taels just in time? 

Naturally, she also overheard Qiao Ling’s conversation with the East Pavilion Priest from the Prince of Lu’s estate. 

Though unfamiliar with the customs of the Divine Capital and the ways of the northern empire, Qiao Ling displayed no fear or insecurity. Rather than being overly cautious, she engaged with those she encountered in an open and almost straightforward manner, unafraid to reveal her doubts and inadequacies. 

What an utterly pure mindset for someone in a position of power! 

“I don’t understand, so I have to ask.” 

She didn’t even have concepts like “What if they laugh at me? Wouldn’t that be embarrassing?” or “Admitting I don’t know something is so humiliating.” 

For an adult, such a trait is exceedingly rare. 

It meant one of two things: either she was so used to never being refused or always looked up to from others, or she possessed an extraordinary mental fortitude—so powerful that she could disregard others’ negativity altogether. 

Either possibility was remarkable: the former required a position of great power, while the latter demanded exceptional strength and confidence. 

Which one did this lady possess? Zhang Yuying wondered. 

Whatever the case, both would allow her to easily obtain wealth. 

And yet, until today, she had neither a servant nor even a carriage. 

At the very least, this suggested that material wealth meant little to her. 

The carriage rolled away slowly. 

The crowd that had gathered for Zhang Yuying began to disperse, and the noise gradually faded. 

In a nearby courtyard, a few windows had been opened at some point. 

Several eyes followed the departing carriage until it disappeared from view, and then they, too, turned away and left. 

—

Inside the carriage. 

Zhang Yuying collected her thoughts and began explaining the earlier events to Qiao Ling with patience. “The man you saw earlier—the one referred to as The East Pavillion Priest—is named Wang Qun, courtesy name Changwen. He serves as an official under the third prince, the Prince of Lu, and holds the title of The East Pavillion Priest, a sixth-rank position.” 

“As for Du Chonggu, whom others mentioned—he currently serves as the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, one of the highest-ranking officials of the realm. The supervision of the families of disgraced officials falls under the jurisdiction of his ministry.” 

Qiao Ling made an understanding “Oh” sound, her bright eyes curiously studying Zhang Yuying’s breathtakingly beautiful face. “I’ve just arrived and know little about the Divine Capital’s ways. I fear I’ll have to rely on you for guidance from now on.” 

Zhang Yuying quickly replied, “For you to fearlessly oppose the King of Lu’s influence and extend your hand to help me—it’s as if you’ve given me new life. How could I dare to say you’re troubling me? Command me as you please, and I will serve without hesitation, even unto death!” 

Qiao Ling laughed. “No need to talk about serving ‘unto death’—that’s way too serious.” 

She added, “You’re being far too formal, Madam Zhang. Just call me Qiao Ling from now on, and I’ll call you Yuying.” 

Zhang Yuying agreed without hesitation. 

Qiao Ling repeated the name “Yuying” softly to herself twice, finding it more delightful each time. 

Yuying, Yuying.   

Such a stunning woman deserved a name as beautiful as this. 

As the news of the completed auction spread, the previously crowded roads gradually cleared. The carriage traveled leisurely, and after about half an hour, it neared the outer walls of the Divine Capital. 

Qiao Ling lifted the curtain and gazed along the towering city walls, trying to catch sight of the structures atop them. She craned her neck as far as it would go, but all she could make out, amidst the misty clouds, was a corner of the eaves jutting out like a menacing claw. 

“The city walls must be several hundred meters high!” she exclaimed in awe. 

Zhang Yuying explained, “Our dynasty follows the virtue of Earth, venerates the color yellow, and considers five a number of auspiciousness. Many aspects of construction, including the palace and ancestral temples, are built in multiples of five. For example, the Divine Capital has fifteen gates, and these city walls…” 

She glanced outside through the curtain Qiao Ling held open. “They are exactly 500 meters high.” 

Qiao Ling remained awestruck. “How much labor and resources would it take to build walls this grand—so tall they seem to reach the heavens?” 

Zhang Yuying smiled faintly and began to explain: 

“It is said that during the reign of the Emperor Gao, immortals still walked the earth. These enlightened beings could summon rainstorms spanning a thousand miles with a mere wave of their sleeves and disperse clouds with a single breath. Some would roam the skies in small boats, and others even traveled the heavens on weapons used as vehicles.” 

“Back then, wars between states were unlike those of today. Every Divine Capital was shrouded in a protective barrier, invisible to the naked eye. Under normal circumstances, the barrier remained dormant, but if an enemy attacked, it would activate—and not even an insect could sneak through.” 

“The First Emperor Gao, blessed by the mandate of heaven, received the assistance of these immortals, united the nine provinces, and achieved greatness. The towering city walls of the Divine Capital, seemingly reaching the heavens, are smilled to be one of the many feats enabled by their powers. Because he ended the era of chaos and founded the dynasty, the First Emperor Gao was revered as a sage. Even today, people refer to him with this honorific, rather than his formal temple name.” 

“Immortals…” 

Qiao Ling muttered skeptically. “That’s just a legend.” 

Who had ever seen an immortal? 

Zhang Yuying smilled. “When the First Emperor Gao established the dynasty, the land was in ruins, and only a tenth of the population remained. Recruiting labor to build a city as magnificent as the Divine Capital would have been impossible without divine intervention. Many people firmly believe in these stories, which is why so many in the three Divine Capitals are still seeking immortals to this day.” 

Qiao Ling’s lips curled slightly, but it was hard to tell what she thought of the City gate 

As they talked, the carriage passed through the city gate. 

Qiao Ling kept her hand on the curtain, watching the scenery outside. She noticed that the walls—several meters thick, likely five meters—were engraved with strange patterns. Each brick bore a unique design, no two the same. 

After a few moments of scrutiny, a thought occurred to her: 

The patterns didn’t seem to have been imprinted when the bricks were fired. 

It was as if… the wall had been built first, and someone had later engraved the designs onto it. 

Qiao Ling raised her eyebrows, switched sides, and opened the curtain on the other side of the carriage, studying the patterns on the opposite wall with growing interest.

“It’s really different.”

As Qiao Ling observed briefly, the carriage had already passed through the five-meter stretch. She kept the curtain open and suddenly felt a flash of bright light in front of her, momentarily dazzling her eyes. 

Focusing her gaze, she saw that on the four corners of the City of Shendu wall were two enormous bronze mirrors embedded at a high vantage point, overlooking all who entered the city. 

Each mirror frame was carved with a fierce beast’s head. The mirrors were set at right angles to each other, gleaming like blades in the sunlight, as if they were a pair of cold, merciless silver eyes. 

Looking higher, she noticed that there were more than just two mirrors at each corner. 

Arranged at varying heights, the reflective surfaces extended upward, flashing all the way to the clouds. 

These bronze mirrors were positioned in different orientations, reflecting light in all directions. The resulting beams seemed to weave an invisible net in mid-air, shrouding the entire capital within it. 

Ahead lay a broad avenue within the capital. It was divided into three lanes: the left and right for commoners and the center lane reserved for officials, wide enough for nine carriages to travel side by side. 

Zhang Yuying, long accustomed to such sights in the capital, found nothing strange about them. But seeing Qiao Ling’s focused gaze and apparent interest, she smiled and explained: 

“Those mirrors, just like the towering city walls, are remnants from the era of the Gao Emperor.” 

“The beast head carved on the mirror frame is called Chaofeng, so these mirrors are known as Chaofeng Mirrors.” 

“Legend has it that Chaofeng is the third son of the Dragon nine offspring. People often use its image to guard their homes. This divine creature is said to ward off evil and prevent disasters, which may explain why the First Emperor  Gao chose to carve it into the mirror frames and place the wall of the Divine capital.” 

Qiao Ling responded with an intrigued “Oh! So that’s what they are!” 

Then, with playful enthusiasm, she stretched her hand outside the carriage and waved toward one of the mirrors. “Hey, Third Prince! Have you eaten yet?” 

Her antics caught the attention of passersby, who began to look curiously in her direction. 

Zhang Yuying couldn’t help but chuckle, exasperated. “What are you doing, my lady?” 

Qiao Ling laughed heartily. “Since I’ve entered the city and met the Third Prince, it’d be rude not to greet him!” 

Zhang Yuying shook her head in amused resignation. Though Qiao Ling seemed composed most of the time, it appeared that she had her playful moments too.