Ashes to Crown

Chapter 256: Chapter 63: Before One’s Eyes (3)

The girl sped past him, her hooded cloak flying in the wind. Behind her, Xie Yanlai pursed his lips. Back when he was Ah Jiu and she was Ah Fu, the posthouse soldiers had laughingly urged them to compete in horsemanship. Of course, he hadn’t taken them up on it, and she, wanting to play the part of a simple girl, had refused to race him as well.

But now, there was no need to pretend. She was finally showing her true skills.

’So she’s showing her true skills. Does that mean I can’t beat her? What a joke.’ Xie Yanlai cracked his whip in the air, and his horse shot past the girl like an arrow. This time, he didn’t almost knock her off, but her furious shouts still rang out—

”Xie Yanlai! Why are you competing with a girl! Would it kill you to lose to me?!”

Watching the young man and woman gallop away one after the other until they shrank to a black dot in the distance, Aunt Ding, who stood at the city gate, couldn’t bear to look away.

”Ma’am,” a city guard called out to her, the officials having already left. ”You should get into the city soon. The gates close at dusk.”

Aunt Ding thanked them but gazed into the distance once more, only entering the city at the very last moment before the gates closed as dusk fell.

Though the city was not as prosperous as it once was, the residents’ lives were orderly, and there was no sign of panic.

Aunt Ding walked slowly through the city, seemingly looking for an inn.

Chu Zhao had originally wanted to entrust her to the care of the government, but Aunt Ding had refused, and Chu Zhao hadn’t insisted.

”That makes sense. You don’t know anyone in the government, so it would just be uncomfortable for you,” she had said with a laugh, pressing a pouch of money into her hands. ”Take this. You’ll be more at ease if you rent your own place.”

At this thought, a smile filled Aunt Ding’s eyes again. She reached out and pressed the pouch at her waist. ’That’s not a money pouch,’ she thought, ’it’s a measure of Ah Zhao’s affection.’

Even though it wasn’t the love between a mother and daughter, she wasn’t the least bit sad.

The call of a bird cut through the air, but Aunt Ding’s expression remained unchanged. Without looking around, she continued straight ahead, winding through streets and alleys until she reached a residence, pushed open the gate, and went right inside.

A happy cry rang out from the courtyard. ”The Chief is back!”

Standing under a lantern in the courtyard, Aunt Ding unwrapped the cloth from her face, revealing fair features.

”Ah Hong,” an old woman said with a smile, studying her face. ”In all these years, this is the first time I’ve ever seen you smile so happily.”

Mu Mianhong reached up to touch her own face. ”Is that so?” She hadn’t even realized she was smiling. ”Well, I am happy.”

The others ushered her into the house. A brazier burned in the spacious main hall, at the head of which stood a large chair draped with a tiger pelt. Mu Mianhong walked directly to it and sat down.

Once she was seated, everyone in the room stood at attention, cupped their fists, and bowed in unison.

Mu Mianhong raised her hand. ”Please, be seated.”

Ten people sat in the chairs on either side, arranged by seniority, while the rest remained standing behind them.

”How goes the battle in Yunzhong County?” Mu Mianhong asked.

A tall, lean man spoke. ”We haven’t been defeated yet, but that’s only because Western Liang has yet to launch a major offensive.”

Mu Mianhong asked, ”I was told King Western Liang himself had come.”

Another woman added in a low voice, ”Our scouts have confirmed it. King Western Liang’s Royal Tent is there, but no one has actually seen the king.”

”Perhaps he didn’t come at all—it’s just a bluff.”

”Those Western Liang Soldiers in the rear must have already been in place, disguised as traveling merchants.”

”They must be spies. Spies who infiltrated a long time ago, colluding with the local government and Aristocratic Families.”

”They likely intended to stir up trouble in the chaos, but Miss Ah Zhao wiped them all out in one fell swoop.”

Hearing this, a smile once again touched Mu Mianhong’s face.

Seeing her smile, the others in the hall grinned as well.

”We didn’t witness Miss Ah Zhao’s bravery firsthand, but the story is already everywhere,” they all chimed in.

”Chief, why didn’t you continue traveling with Miss Ah Zhao?” one of them asked.

Mu Mianhong’s smile faded. ”Luocheng,” she said. ”I promised I wouldn’t go there.”

The atmosphere in the hall grew tense. There were a few disgruntled snorts and someone muttered, ”Why should we be afraid of him?”

Mu Mianhong had no desire to continue this topic and silenced them.

”It’s not just about Luocheng. The closer we get, the more we’ll be near General Chu, and he has many old subordinates. It’s not convenient for me to be seen with Ah Zhao,” she explained. But there was no sadness on her face. ’Being able to accompany Ah Zhao this far has been more than enough. And I can continue watching over her from a distance.’

”We’ll just have to keep following her in secret.”

”Besides, with our identities concealed, it’s much easier for us to mobilize our people.”

”The further Northwest she goes, the more dangerous it will be.”

Mu Mianhong’s gaze drifted past the people in the hall to the night outside. In the lantern light, scattered snowflakes danced in the air. ’So, it has started snowing after all.’

But Mu Mianhong did not have to wait long. A knock at the door roused her before the sky had even begun to lighten.

”Chief, Miss Ah Zhao and the others didn’t enter Luocheng,” the messenger said urgently. ”General Chu... I think something’s wrong.”

Mu Mianhong, who had been sitting by her bed all night without sleeping, shot to her feet. She stumbled, nearly falling, but managed to catch herself on a nearby table.

”Chief!” the messenger cried in alarm.

She couldn’t hear what else he was saying. Leaning on the table, her ears ringing, she thought, ’That’s right. Something felt wrong all along, but I was too overjoyed to dwell on it.’

’Why would Ah Zhao rush to the Border County, ignoring all danger and her own status? Was it really just for a few scattered Western Liang Soldiers who had slipped behind their lines?’

’Why would Chu Ling send the daughter he’d sheltered for more than a decade to the Capital City? Was it just to find her a good husband?’

’Chu Ling... something must have happened to him.’

...

...

By the time the sky had fully brightened, the blizzard had subsided. Nestled in Xie Yanlai’s arms, Chu Zhao could finally see the road ahead.

Before long, however, her vision blurred again. She couldn’t stop herself from reaching up to wipe her eyes.

”Don’t move,” Xie Yanlai’s voice sounded from above her. After a full night of riding through the blizzard, it was completely hoarse.

Chu Zhao stilled, leaning tightly against his chest. She let the tears blur her vision, hearing nothing but the whistling wind and the steady beat of Xie Yanlai’s heart.

The day before, when they were nearing Luocheng, she had heard the news and immediately galloped off after the Xin Bing without a second thought. Xie Yanlai had made arrangements for the others and followed her, bringing three horses.

Her own horsemanship wasn’t enough to get through the heavy snow at night, so Xie Yanlai had pulled her onto his horse. They rode nonstop, switching between all three mounts, and her father’s location was finally drawing near.

And yet, this only made Chu Zhao more afraid.

”Ah Jiu,” she murmured, leaning against his chest. ”What if I still can’t see my father this time?”

’This time?’ he thought. ’Is she comparing this to the time I stopped her?’ With one hand, Xie Yanlai spurred the horse onward, and with the other, he pulled her tighter against him. ”Chu Zhao,” he said loudly, ”your bad luck won’t last forever!”