Chapter 11

Su Ci felt extremely shocked but didn’t have time to think much about it because she immediately got busy. She spent the entire day preparing water and food for people and horses. They ate and drank to their fill, filling all the containers and bags with water. They dried all the food and packed it on their backs. Hundreds of military horses were put to good use; even though they were skinny, they still had good stamina. They set off before dawn the next day, heading east. It took them twelve full days to finally leave the heavily affected area.

Along the way, the greenery gradually increased. Although it was still dusty and dry, the trees retained some green, and the endless yellow was finally left behind. They then went to Yizhou and stayed there for about half a month. The wind had a slight chill by late October, but the air was still dry. Su Ci fanned herself with a bamboo fan and sat on the railing with her sister, looking down at the soldiers standing motionless on the flat slope below. Military discipline was strict, and soldiers’ morale was completely different from before. Su Ci finally understood why Yang Yanzong did not return directly to Suiping but chose to stay temporarily in Yizhou. He spent almost a month, including twelve days on the road, and thousands of soldiers were now under his complete control. These soldiers had indeed become his men. If the Six Kings tried to make these thousands of soldiers return to their original positions, the military town would still be in Yang Yanzong’s hands. Additionally, another purpose might be to let the news reach Suiping first.

Of course, all of this was just Su Ci’s guess. She only whispered a few words to her sister privately and didn’t know if it was true. Anyway, on a particular day at the end of September, after Su Ci removed the stitches for Yang Yanzong and observed that his tendons had healed well and he could enter the rehabilitation period, Yang Yanzong stood up, fastened his leather sleeve, and slowly moved his right wrist. He said, “Prepare, we will set off for Suiping tomorrow.”
…

Suiping is one of the major northern towns of Da Qing and a satellite city of the auxiliary capital, Yangyi, where the emperor is currently residing. The old emperor had been in Yangyi for almost two years. This matter started the year before last when the Northern Rong invaded the borders again, and the emperor decided to lead the army himself. Later, the Northern Rong was temporarily repelled, but a stray arrow injured the emperor, and he fell off his horse. His condition was once critical, instantly triggering a fierce battle among several princes. They almost put all their forces into a life-and-death struggle. In the end, the Fourth and Seventh Princes joined forces and severely injured the Sixth Prince. Yang Yanzong and the Su and Yang families under him were among those who survived this severe blow. The situation has eased a bit because the old emperor is very strong. He didn’t die and recovered. Needless to say, the emperor is very wary of his young and vigorous nephews, and the relationship between the emperor and the princes is very delicate. This can be seen from the princes’ residences—they are not stationed in Yangyi but nearby cities like Suiping and Quyuan.

Suiping and Quyuan cities are neither too far nor too close to Yangyi, forming a semi-arc around Yangyi city. The Fourth Prince and the Sixth Prince have their headquarters in Suiping. Returning to Suiping from the disaster area is just the beginning, not the end.

Su Ci rode on horseback alongside Su Yan. The sisters were impatient with sitting in a carriage, so they started riding as soon as they left Shilin. Su Ci initially didn’t know how to ride, but Su Yan was delighted that her sister finally got the hang of it. With patient teaching, Su Ci now rode exceptionally well. She looked into the distance, where the city walls stood tall and majestic. The gray-black walls rose from the ground and extended to both sides. Flags fluttered, and armored soldiers patrolled the high walls. Although the city gates were not crowded, carriages, porters, and commoners were still coming and going, creating a bustling scene. The weather was getting colder, but the countryside still showed green under the clear blue sky. The air was a bit dry, and the wind was slightly strong, but autumn and winter in the north were often like this. It was normal. This place seemed like a different world compared to the disaster area.

Ah, there was Suiping City ahead.

“We’re going back again.” Su Yan looked around and sighed, her tone inevitably anxious, “I wonder how things are?”

They were about to return but didn’t know what lay ahead. Su Ci recalled their home in Suiping. It was a medium-sized courtyard with two entrances. Many flowers were planted in front of her room, some by her father and some by Lin Yichu. Roses were hard to grow here, but somehow, he found a variety that thrived. Back then, they bloomed in large, brilliant patches of red. The romantic little girl was cherished and pampered by her family. However, they might not live there anymore. The sisters exchanged a glance, then obediently fell silent. Horse hooves echoed as they approached the city gate, still about a mile away. A fast horse galloped out to meet them, and as it neared, the rider pulled the reins, causing the horse to neigh loudly. Both parties dismounted, and Su Ci and her sister quickly followed suit.

Su Ci looked up and saw that the group leader was a young man in his early twenties, dressed in a simple yet elegant light white brocade robe with cloud patterns. He wasn’t particularly handsome, but he had delicate features. Su Ci recognized him as Ji Chen, the adopted son of Yang Yanzong’s Aunt and the closest younger brother of the Sixth Prince, Ji Yan. Ji Chen had been by Ji Yan’s side since childhood, acting as a reliable brother and support. He was here to welcome Yang Yanzong on behalf of Ji Yan. Ji Chen was always polite and greeted everyone with a smile. He exchanged a few words with Yang Yanzong, and their conversation was quite harmonious. However, only Ji Chen was so welcoming. The others who came out to greet them had more reserved and cautious attitudes. Some maintained a polite distance, while others subtly observed and scrutinized the situation. No one expected Yang Yanzong to return so quickly after being exiled to the border. And he didn’t return in disgrace; he had decisively defeated Liang Shen and taken control of three thousand soldiers, causing such a stir that even the princes were alarmed. As the two sides met, the atmosphere subtly shifted. Previously, after dealing with Liang Shen in the disaster area and Yizhou, things were tough but somewhat light-hearted. However, upon returning to Suiping, although it was peaceful, there was an unspoken, invisible pressure and a subtle tension.

Even Su Yan, who had been chatting non-stop along the way, fell silent.
The wind was strong outside the city, and Su Ci couldn’t hear the conversation ahead. She only saw the men exchange a few words before remounting their horses.

Ji Chen patted Yang Yanzong on the shoulder and said, “Be careful. The heir is waiting. Let’s hurry back!”

The group quickly rode into the city. At the inner city gate, the Sixth Prince’s heir, Ji Yan, heard the sound of hooves and slowly descended from the city tower. A group of about ten riders galloped to the gate, and Yang Yanzong dismounted, sweeping his robe and kneeling on one knee with a loud “thud”: “Subordinate greets the heir!”

“The military town suffered a severe drought and had to relocate due to lack of food. We have just returned, and I am fortunate not to have disgraced the prince and the heir.”

Before Yang Yanzong could fully kneel, Ji Yan bent down to help him up, looked him over, and smiled, “Very good, very good, it’s good to have you back.”

He asked many questions and offered encouragement, to which Yang Yanzong responded one by one. Others also chimed in, and regardless of their true thoughts, their expressions were impeccable.

Finally, the heir said, “Aunt has been waiting for your return for a long time. Now that the court affairs have eased a bit, there’s no rush for other matters. Go greet Aunt and settle down first.”

“Tonight, we will hold a banquet to welcome you back.”

The heir put his arm around Yang Yanzong’s shoulder, and Yang Yanzong responded flawlessly. To an observer, the cousins seemed as close as ever.

Meanwhile, in a nearby tavern on the third floor by the window, someone was watching them intently. A man in purple watched coldly for a moment, then slammed his fist on the table, causing the cups to jump. He cursed, “Yang Yanzong! Did Liang Shen die for nothing?!”

These were people from the Fourth Prince’s camp. Yang Yanzong had deliberately delayed his return, and those who needed to know, including the Fourth Prince’s side, had already received the news, especially since they were one of the parties involved.

Liang Shen held a significant military position, was cautious and cunning, and had strong execution skills. He was competent in overt and covert matters, making him a valuable officer under the Fourth Prince. The original plan was to temporarily exile him to the military town until the turmoil subsided and then find a way to bring him back. Who would have thought that once he left, he would never return?

Moreover, they lost a critical military town that was already in their grasp, which understandably angered everyone present. Sitting at the main seat by the window was a young man in a white robe with a blue pattern, distinct brows, and deep eyes. His name was Ji Yuanhao—if Su Ci were here, she would recognize him as Ji Chengtan’s older brother.

Ji Yuanhao squinted at the harmonious scene in the distance between the brothers. Despite the anger of those around him, he showed no sign of displeasure and merely smiled faintly, “No rush. Back then, Ji Yan sacrificed Yang Yanzong to preserve his maternal uncle and the support of the Marquis of Zhenbei’s residence.”

“There is no possibility of reconciliation between these two. Just watch.”
Having seen what he needed to see, he stood up and left. His tone was casual yet very confident.
…

Su Ci was unaware of all this. As a female family member, she and her sister freshened up briefly and, along with Su Rong, followed Mrs. Chen into the prince’s residence to pay respects to Aunt Yan.

Aunt Yan is Yang Yanzong’s biological Aunt and the heir’s birth mother. In other words, the heir and Yang Yanzong are cousins. The Yan sisters originally came from an official family. Later, their family was confiscated, the male members were executed, and the female members were sent to the brothel. The Yan sisters were not at home when the incident happened and luckily escaped. Later, they got separated. The younger sister, Xiao Yan, Yang Yanzong’s mother, married a small country squire. Later, she followed her son to Suiping and finally reunited with her sister. The elder sister, Aunt Yan, was bought by the palace steward from human traffickers to be a maid. Later, she was favored by the prince and became his concubine. When the princess had no offspring, she was chosen among the low-born concubines. Her son was registered under the princess’s name as the legitimate son, and this is the heir, Ji Yan.
Although she is a concubine, she is considered a remarkable relative because of the heir.

When Su Ci and her companions arrived, Yang Yanzong, along with the Yang brothers, Lin Yichu and Su Song, had just arrived as well. Su Di did not come because it was inappropriate for an outsider his age to enter the inner residence. The heir ordered Ji Chen to lead the way, but he did not come himself. After all, he is the legitimate son raised by the princess. It is acceptable for him to visit Aunt Yan occasionally, but he must avoid suspicion in this situation.

Su Ci kept her eyes on her nose and her nose on her heart, looking three feet ahead of her toes, and followed the main group inside. They first went to the main courtyard to pay respects to the princess. Considering the heir, the princess met them and said a few words before letting them go about their business.

Leaving the luxurious main courtyard, they walked along the vermilion corridor and soon arrived at a delicate waterside pavilion. Although the structure seemed ordinary, the carefully trimmed flowers and trees outside and the meticulously arranged decorations inside showed great care.

Su Ci thought that Aunt Yan must have some skills to survive after giving birth to a son without being suppressed by the princess. While pondering this, the people in front had already entered. She exchanged a glance with Su Yan and followed Mrs. Chen inside.

At the head of the room sat a beautiful noblewoman adorned with pearls and jade. Her eyebrows and eyes resembled Yang Yanzong. Before Ji Chen could greet her, she burst into tears and pulled the kneeling Yang Yanzong up, crying, “Fortunately, you and your brothers have returned safely. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know how to face your mother when I see her!”

However, thinking of her sister and brother-in-law, who were still in trouble, she became anxious again. After much consolation, she finally calmed down.

Yang Yanzong and the others were outsiders and couldn’t stay long. After a quarter-hour of crying and consoling, a maid softly reminded them.

Yang Yanzong and the others stood up, “Aunt, we will leave now.”

“Go ahead, let me know once you are settled. If you need anything, just send someone to tell me or the heir.”

Yang Yanzong smiled, “Thank you for your concern, Aunt.” His smile didn’t give the slightest feeling of warmth.

Su Ci thought the hall suddenly emptied after Yang Yanzong and the others left. Aunt Yan washed her face, reapplied her makeup, and returned to her seat. After exchanging a few words with Mrs. Chen, she lazily waved to the girls behind her, “You have suffered. Come, let me take a look at you.”

Once Yang Yanzong and the others left, Aunt Yan’s excitement disappeared, and she regained her composed demeanor.

Su Yan pouted inwardly. She disliked this tone of calling cats and teasing dogs. However, the sisters didn’t say anything. They just smiled slightly, stepped forward, bowed, and remained silent.

On the contrary, Su Rong smiled brightly, took the initiative to greet, and asked with concern, “Aunt, you seem to have lost some weight. Haven’t you been resting well?”

The fathers of the Su and Yang families were sworn brothers, so the girls of the Su family also called her Aunt.

“These days, my heart has been worrying about this and that. How could I rest well?” With someone flattering her, speaking naturally became more interesting. Aunt Yan immediately waved Su Rong over to talk. After a few words, Su Rong personally started massaging Aunt Yan’s acupoints. After a while, Aunt Yan felt comfortable and said to Mrs. Chen, “You are fortunate to have such a skillful daughter.”

Mrs. Chen smiled and replied, “Yes, she is very skillful.”

Out of sight from the people above, Su Yan secretly rolled her eyes. Su Ci chuckled inwardly. This was normal. Aunt Yan was originally a concubine, and this status gave her a subtle perception of Su Rong. Moreover, Su Rong was sensible and tactful, while the original Su Ci did not like Yang Yanzong and had no good feelings towards Aunt Yan, who loved acting superior. So, she pretended to be dull.

Coincidentally, Su Ci also had no interest in flattering people, especially those who were cannon fodder. She just took over the original Su Ci’s role and continued to pretend to be dull, making her and Su Yan a pair of dull sisters.

Thinking about it, it was pretty amusing. She chuckled inwardly and quietly continued to admire the indoor decorations and flower arrangements. When she admired the third bottle of weeping chrysanthemums by the west wall, it was finally time to go home. Su Ci moved her numb feet. Oh yeah!
…

As expected, the carriage rumbled away from the palace, and they did not return to their original home. Su Di picked them up and, along with Yang Yanzong, returned to the barracks area of Qingfeng Camp. The houses where the family members could live were on the outskirts. The houses were small, but it was nice to live together. They could respond immediately to anything that happened, which was much more stable and gave a greater sense of security. It was also convenient for doing anything.

It was getting late. Except for Yang Yanzong, everyone gathered to eat and returned to their rooms to rest. Su Yan, worried that her sister might not sleep well in an unfamiliar place, pulled Su Ci to sleep in the same room.

The sisters lay down on the bed, stretched lazily, and Su Yan complained, “Today was really tiring!”

She pouted and whispered, “Fortunately, we don’t have to see her every day.”

Su Ci chuckled, “That’s true.”

The sisters exchanged a knowing glance, smiled mischievously, and rolled on the bed a couple of times. Su Ci hugged the quilt and groaned, “Don’t mind her. Ah, finally, we can sleep in a bed. We’ll talk about anything else tomorrow.”

It wasn’t easy. They could even hear their bones cracking. Forget everything else. Let’s sleep until noon tomorrow!

…

Su Ci really slept until noon. When she opened her eyes, she heard Aunt Bai complaining about the living conditions outside. It wasn’t long before Su Rong calmed her down. However, she slept well and was in a good mood, treating the complaints as background music. She leisurely finished the brunch her mother had left for her. The sisters chatted briefly and were about to tidy the room when A’Kang came over.

Yang Yanzong was looking for her.

Su Ci raised her eyebrows. She roughly knew why Yang Yanzong was looking for her, as it had been mentioned before. Therefore, she was not surprised. It was already quite cold outside. She changed into a white and light green jacket and skirt and followed A’Kang, winding left and right into the depths of the camp. A’Kang stopped in front of a door, and she looked around before entering with her hands behind her back.

Yang Yanzong was standing in the courtyard. It was late autumn and early winter, and the afternoon sun was just right. Yang Yanzong wore a gray round-collared robe with black leather sleeves and black satin boots. He stood in front of the shadow wall, with the tall stone shadow wall blocking the sunlight. Half of his figure was exposed to the sunlight, while the shadow of the stone wall covered the other half. The color of his robe appeared as a faint purple in the shadow, making his posture and the bridge of his nose look even more upright and profound, exuding a sharp and intimidating aura- just like his personality. To protect the cousins on the legitimate mother’s side, the heir and his cousins eventually had to abandon him. As for Aunt Yan, she probably doesn’t know.

On the surface, they haven’t torn their faces, but there are undercurrents.
This is a man walking on a knife’s edge, knowing everything but pretending nothing is wrong and even trying to squeeze back in.

However, Su Ci soon had no time to think about these things. She blinked and stepped forward with her hands behind her back, “Eldest Young Master.”

Yang Yanzong responded with a hum. He turned around, and Su Ci followed him, stepping into the room – a very spacious hall with huge cabinets lining both walls. Several medicine boys with blue headscarves were busy; this was the military medical camp. A military medical camp must have a trusted department under one’s control. Yang Yanzong originally had good military doctors, but they were gone now. Su Ci had just demonstrated her skills and talents, so he assigned this place to her.

Su Ci was still thinking about those miscellaneous things when Yang Yanzong asked, “Do you need anything else?”

Su Ci’s eyes lit up, and she instantly came back to her senses. It was like a pillow delivered when she was sleepy!

“Yes! I want to find some pickled mustard greens.”