Shi Buyu sat back down and asked, “What’s the situation on Wu Fei’s side?”

“Young Master Wu prepared a very luxurious large boat. After picking someone up, he disguised himself as a wealthy merchant and took the water route. I rented a boat and followed for a while to make sure there was no tail before turning back.”

“Did he say anything?”

“He did.” Wanxia chuckled. “Young Master Wu said, ‘Next time, can you not only come to me when something goes wrong?’”

“What else would I go to him for?” Shi Buyu snorted, then smiled. “Let him have a chance. Once this is over, I’ll go eat his food, drink his wine, and use his things.”

“If Young Master Wu knew you said that, he’d definitely make you sign a written contract with a seal.”

That’s exactly why she said it now—because he couldn’t hear it. Shi Buyu rested her chin on her hand, thinking: who knows how long this whole thing will take to finish?

“I heard A’Gu is back.” Yan Shian’s voice came from outside the door. The situation in the capital was changing; he had waited patiently until now, but could no longer sit still.

Wanxia’s brows twitched at hearing him call her “A’Gu”—only her young lady ever called her that.

“He’s eager to leave,” Shi Buyu said to the man walking in. “Tell them, then go.”

Yan Shian’s heart relaxed. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

Once the Shi family learned that Buyu was heading down the mountain, they all put down their work and gathered at her residence. They ran into her halfway there. Even Second Great-Uncle Shi Qing, whose bones ached to the marrow, had himself carried over. Upon seeing her, he asked, “You’re leaving now?”

“Yes. Things in the capital can’t be delayed.” Shi Buyu looked at this elder with a sickly face, yet one whom Shi Yan still trusted. “The exiles have all escaped safely. As for when to send the children away, wait for my message.”

Shi Mother couldn’t help but ask, “Will you come back when it’s time?”

“A’Gu will come back.”

Shi Xu gently pushed his mother to the side to his sister-in-law and stepped forward. “Once things quiet down, I’ll send a few unfamiliar faces to serve at your side. When you need to send messages home, they’ll help. We can’t let Aunt Gu do everything alone.”

Shi Buyu thought for a moment, then nodded. It was indeed a waste of talent to make Aunt Gu handle everything by herself.

Having said all she needed to, Shi Buyu didn’t linger. She clasped her hands in farewell and turned to leave.

The Shi family watched her back in silence. That gesture wasn’t one used with family.

“She’s been away for many years. It’s normal she doesn’t know how to interact with family,” Shi Qing said solemnly. “But don’t forget, we were able to escape safely because she traded herself for our safety. Whether the Shi family can rise again or not in the future, we must remember all she has done for us. Remember that she is entering danger in the capital for our sake.”

Everyone responded in agreement. Those who had just thought she treated them like outsiders quietly blushed in shame.

---

Hutou Stronghold was more than half a day’s journey from the capital. That night, they stayed in Fengrao County, the closest city to the capital. Yan Shian had a residence there.

They went to bed early, and at dawn the next day, Shi Buyu was already awake. Leaning on the bed’s edge, she examined the exquisitely decorated room and said, “The cunning rabbit has three burrows. This Yan Shian must have thirty.”

“With his identity, even three hundred wouldn’t be too many,” Wanxia replied as she picked up the bedding on the floor. Wherever they went over the years, she always slept at the foot of her lady’s bed.

Shi Buyu rested her head on her arm, looking lazy as she spoke lazily, “Even White Beard would praise him as clever.”

“Only clever people can achieve things. Otherwise, Miss, you’d be dragged down by him.” Wanxia opened the door and brought in water. “Aunt Gu just hopes he’ll be smarter, so Miss won’t have to waste all your good years plotting in the capital.”

“It’s not like only youth is a good time. As long as you’re alive, every day is,” Shi Buyu replied, turning over to lie flat so Aunt Gu could wipe her face. Her voice was muffled from under the towel. “You’re just thirty-something yourself. Why assume your prime is over? Who said only sixteen-year-olds are in their prime? Look at White Beard—he’s old as dirt and still enjoying himself every day.”

“Miss is always right.”

“I’m just saying. Someone draws a circle and tells you this is the best place, tells you not to leave it—and you actually stay? Shouldn’t we kick them in there instead?”

Wanxia laughed. That was exactly something her lady would do.

“Aunt Gu will remember. Next time someone says that, I’ll kick them in.”

Shi Buyu didn’t feel like talking anymore. She got out of bed and spread her arms to let Aunt Gu dress her. After so many years, they were still doing this—Aunt Gu didn’t take her words seriously at all.

She zoned out a bit, then noticed it was taking a while to get dressed. Lowering her arms, she looked down in confusion. “Aunt Gu, do I own clothes like this?”

Wanxia stepped back to take a good look. The girl now wore a sapphire-blue short jacket with a red-and-white high-waisted skirt, topped with a red straight-collared short robe. It made her complexion glow and highlighted her beauty even more.

Wanxia took the golden silk shawl hanging nearby and draped it over her. “You went to bed early last night. Young Master Yan sent these clothes over. He said we’ve shown our faces in the capital before, so we need to dress up a little today to avoid being recognized.”

Shi Buyu curiously flicked her sleeves. After years living outside, she always dressed for convenience. This was her first time wearing such fine silk. It was… quite pretty.

Wanxia sat her lady down and did her hair in a parted bun, adding accessories one by one.

Shi Buyu looked at the row of makeup on the vanity. “He sent all this too?”

“Yes, everything came last night.”

It was a rare chance to dress up her own girl. Wanxia cupped Shi Buyu’s chin and studied her closely. Her skin wasn’t the sickly pale of sheltered girls, but a healthy, glowing white, with naturally rosy cheeks—no need for rouge. Her eyebrows were neither thick nor thin, her almond eyes bright and expressive, especially charming when plotting. Her nose was straight, lips naturally curled—clearly in a good mood.

The more Wanxia looked, the more she felt that those gaudy capital makeup styles didn’t suit her lady. They were too vulgar, too heavy. She thought for a moment and only applied a light powder, shaped her brows, dabbed on some lip balm, and affixed a plum blossom forehead decoration.

“Take a look, Miss—do you like it?”

Shi Buyu looked at herself in the mirror, raised a hand to touch the flower on her forehead, and said, “Clothes really do make the person. With a little dressing up, I’m quite the beauty myself.”

“Miss is beautiful even without dressing up.”

“Pretty doesn’t fill the belly. My stomach’s putting on a whole opera in there.” Shi Buyu stood up. “I need to ask Yan Shian—if I have to dress up like this every day, I’m not going to the capital. Living here isn’t so bad.”

She opened the door. Two maidservants stood outside and bowed. “Good morning, Miss. Young Master is waiting outside.”

The man who had been standing with his hands behind his back turned at the sound. Seeing the woman emerge, he froze for a moment. The Shi Buyu he had seen over the past few days was always dull and gray. But now, it was as if a layer of dust had been brushed off her. Though she wore no heavy makeup, she shone brightly—so bright that the entire space around her seemed to light up.