After a moment’s silence, Meng Xizhao replied, “It’s been alright… over a year now, but still not as long as I’ve known you.”
Cui Ye recalled the story Meng Xizhao had told about meeting Zhan Buxiu. Even now, he found the ever-belligerent Zhan Buxiu somewhat disagreeable.
Seeing him silent, Meng Xizhao assumed he’d been appeased. He was about to lower his head and continue biting into his snack when he heard Cui Ye’s slightly dissatisfied question: “How much earlier did I meet you than him?”
Meng Xizhao: “…………”
Even this, he had to compare!
Meng Xizhao felt a little exasperated. The Crown Prince had never cared about these things before—so why had he suddenly become so difficult?
The truth was, the Crown Prince had always cared about them, just cautiously, because they had only ever been friends. Now that their feelings were mutual, the Crown Prince felt entitled to exercise certain “rights.”
Fortunately, Cui Ye’s comparison was only toward Zhan Buxiu; he showed no such attitude toward anyone else, which gave Meng Xizhao some relief.
It was Meng Xizhao’s first time in a romantic relationship, and he was constantly learning the small details, determined to be a considerate partner. During the journey, he hardly sought out Zhan Buxiu anymore; any matters were handled directly with Yu Fulan.
Yu Fulan didn’t know their private circumstances. Each time Meng Xizhao summoned him, his expression became increasingly complicated. Though Meng Xizhao had previously asked him to handle affairs, it had been infrequent and always serious matters. Now, even trivial tasks were entrusted to him.
He was the Crown Prince’s man. Wouldn’t placing oneself so carefully in the role of “official consort” risk future complications?
Yu Fulan felt his heart nearly break from worry.
He fretted over both the Crown Prince and Meng Xizhao. If either changed their heart, leaving the other abandoned, he couldn’t bear to witness it. And if neither changed, and everything went smoothly for a lifetime… well, that was the kind of scenario only found in dreams.
There’s an old saying: “Married a wife, forget your mother”—well, the metaphor isn’t perfect, but the meaning fits. Their affection was deepening; previously, the Crown Prince had been ill, and Meng Xizhao had stayed by his side constantly. Now the Prince had recovered, Meng Xizhao could not rest, and the Crown Prince’s clinginess was almost suffocating to watch.
Yu Fulan knew he couldn’t voice these thoughts to either of them, so he confided in a colleague instead.
That night, the Crown Prince, Meng Xizhao, Zhan Buxiu, and others lodged at a newly established inn; the rest camped nearby or slept in carriages.
Zhang Shuogong was keeping watch as usual, but Yu Fulan insisted on summoning him. Though they were on Da Qi territory and surrounded by the Crown Prince’s men, Zhang Shuogong’s instinct to personally guard the Prince remained, leaving him irritable at being called out.
“What is it?”
Yu Fulan, noticing his impatience, asked puzzled, “Why aren’t you worried at all?”
Zhang Shuogong stared at him as if he were an alien. “What is there to worry about? Speak plainly. If not, I’ll leave.”
Yu Fulan hurried to hold him back, bypassing any preamble, and poured out his concerns: “Your Highness and Meng Xizhao… while outside, it’s mostly fine, but once back in Yingtian Prefecture, surrounded by so many eyes, they won’t see each other much. Over time, what if something goes wrong? What if Meng Xizhao, pressured by the Meng family, decides to marry and have children? The Crown Prince would be heartbroken.”
Zhang Shuogong frowned in confusion. “Why would he marry and have children?”
Yu Fulan, momentarily stunned by the question, stammered: “He—he’s a man. Naturally, he would marry and have children.”
Zhang Shuogong scoffed: “A man? Once he’s with the Crown Prince, he’s the Prince’s. Marry? Hah. If he truly dared, I wouldn’t mind sending him to the Yellow Springs to wed a ghost bride.”
Yu Fulan: “…………”
He had thought that after this trip, Zhang Shuogong would be reliable—turns out, he was still as fierce as ever.
Exasperated, he muttered: “Your parents gave you a brain. Can you use it just a little?”
Zhang Shuogong: “……”
Yu Fulan pressed on: “Do you think Meng Xizhao is someone you can just casually kill? His family is at the height of power, and he himself is a pillar of the Qi Dynasty. Killing him would be like severing the Crown Prince’s arm—seeing the Prince now, it’s like tearing out his heart. I’m only pointing out a possibility; it may happen, it may not. As subordinates, we can’t wait for the possibility to occur before thinking what to do. We must crush it before it arises.”
Seeing the logic, Zhang Shuogong asked, “So what do you suggest?”
Yu Fulan: “……If I knew, would I still be worried?”
Zhang Shuogong’s temper flared again: “Then why say it at all!”
Yu Fulan: “I have to! The Crown Prince is experiencing these feelings for the first time, under such circumstances. Given his position, ordinary women would struggle with him, let alone Meng Xizhao, a man. Isn’t it natural for me to feel anxious?”
Zhang Shuogong glanced at him, muttering two words: “Overly sentimental.”
Yu Fulan: “…………”
Unabashed, Zhang Shuogong rolled his eyes. “If their feelings remain mutual, with the Crown Prince’s nature and Meng Xizhao’s wisdom, they can overcome any hardship together. If one wavers, that’s beyond your control. Whether Meng Xizhao marries and has children, or the Crown Prince does, ordinary couples rarely remain so devoted. Worrying now only adds trouble. Take things step by step; by the time it comes, they may see things clearer than you do.”
Yu Fulan was left speechless by the conversation, and after a long moment, he finally replied, “After all that’s been said, don’t you still think they can make it to the end?”
Zhang Shuogong: “……”
Of course he thought they could.
It was just that he wasn’t a man of many words. As a guard, he didn’t want to involve himself in his master’s personal entanglements of love and rivalry.
The warm summer night wrapped around them, and both Zhang Shuogong and Yu Fulan exchanged glances, their hearts heavy with complex emotions.
If others knew their thoughts, they would probably be even less optimistic.
For a long while, they didn’t know what to say, so they simply stood there in silence. Zhang Shuogong, slowly influenced by Yu Fulan’s sentiments, even forgot about returning to his night watch, feeling a deep melancholy.
After a moment, Yu Fulan suddenly spoke: “When I was a child, a cousin of mine was obsessed with this matter. Later, he spent a fortune just to ransom a young male servant back home. His family was frustrated with him—they beat him, punished him; his father, a military officer, nearly killed him. But even after he recovered, he still did the same. People said it was an addiction—once caught, it could not be broken.”
Zhang Shuogong listened silently. As an orphan, he had grown up largely without guidance, and his knowledge was far narrower than Yu Fulan’s.
After pausing for a moment, Yu Fulan spoke again: “Is it really that interesting?”
“What is it… like to have feelings for a man?”
His face was full of confusion. Almost instinctively, he looked toward Zhang Shuogong. Zhang Shuogong lifted his head, meeting his gaze.
Two seconds later, in the height of the summer night, both men broke into a cold sweat.
Zhang Shuogong: “……I must take my leave!!!”
Yu Fulan’s face turned a deep shade of embarrassment as he waved weakly, signaling, “You should go quickly.”
……
That night they stayed in Jizhou. The next morning, having traveled less than an hour, they entered Longxing Prefecture.
Returning to Longxing after nearly two months, Meng Xizhao felt a whirlwind of emotions. As soon as they passed through the city gates, the citizens, who had long been waiting, eagerly watched the procession, calling out, “Lord Meng!”
When Meng Xizhao had been captured, the worst days in Longxing Prefecture had already passed. Grain harvests were plentiful, charitable institutions established to improve livelihoods were all operational, and this summer compared to last felt like heaven compared to hell.
The people understood that the peace and prosperity were thanks to Meng Xizhao. Ever since the prefecture had been invaded by the Nanzhao forces, he had not appeared publicly, and when they heard he was ill, they had prayed for him in temples and shrines.
Only when Nanzhao was finally destroyed did they realize Meng Xizhao’s illness had been a ruse; in truth, he had been taken there.
Though the journey had been perilous and invisible to them, they could imagine it, and with Jin Zhu and the others, who had received the news and worked behind the scenes, spirits soared. Now everyone in Longxing knew Meng Xizhao was the great hero who had defeated Nanzhao—and he was leaving for the capital, no longer to serve as their prefect.
The citizens were reluctant to part with him, some moved to tears, though they didn’t even know where he had been—they could only cry at each passing carriage.
Meng Xizhao: “…………”
Watching their heartfelt display, he pressed his lips together, closed the slightly opened carriage window, and sat back down.
Softly, he said, “Why do I feel so guilty?”
After a pause, he added, “I am unworthy of this.”
Then, in an even quieter voice, he murmured, “Actually, I haven’t done anything…”
Cui Ye, listening, held his hand and gently squeezed it. “Those who benefit the people are known to them. You need not belittle yourself. You think you’ve done nothing, but you have truly saved countless lives.”
Hearing this, Meng Xizhao turned to look at the faces outside the window.
Cui Ye asked, “Reluctant to leave?”
Meng Xizhao nodded earnestly. “A little.”
It was like a homeroom teacher saying goodbye to their class: exhausting and frustrating as it had been, when the day to leave came, only he knew the taste of it.
Cui Ye, gazing at his profile, felt a sudden sense of urgency.
He feared Meng Xizhao might let responsibility take hold, deciding to stay in Longxing Prefecture to perfect it before considering the return to the capital.
Quickly, he said, “Saving a region is not the same as saving a nation. With your ability, you should not be bound to this small prefecture. In time, the people here will understand the care you took.”
Meng Xizhao: “……”
He had no special “care” in mind.
Yet Cui Ye’s words had some merit. Originally, he had taken the post to fine-tune his plans and accrue political and public merit. Having completed all of that ahead of schedule, there was no reason to linger.
But leaving, he thought, couldn’t just be a simple farewell.
After all, this was the first place he had governed; he couldn’t bear to see it mismanaged.
After Meng Xizhao was rescued, the unlucky new prefect, Mu Jianqi, had temporarily resided from Jiangzhou for nearly half a month. Finally released by the Crown Prince’s men, he arrived to take up his post in Longxing Prefecture.
Upon arrival, he found the place more difficult to manage than other prefectures.
Overnight, the city knew Meng Xizhao had been captured. The people were angry and worried; seeing the new prefect arrive, if not for Zhao Chengli’s prior intervention, they might have stormed the prefecture with rotten eggs.
The citizens were unwelcoming, and the administration was no calmer. Xie Yuan, stationed there, appeared accommodating but blocked any action, effectively neutering him. If he had objections, a maid left by the previous prefect would collude with the local militia commander to coerce him.
The commander of the local militia could be tolerated, but a mere maid dared to bark orders at him? Mu Jianqi, used to being in charge, immediately wanted to punish her—but then he realized, to his shock, that this maid’s authority was only slightly below that of Xie Yuan.
In an instant, Mu Jianqi was sidelined. Previously, whenever matters required the prefect, Xie Yuan would let him act as a figurehead to maintain appearances. Now, he wasn’t even allowed that.
After being thoroughly humbled, and with Meng Xizhao having just descended from the Crown Prince’s carriage, Mu Jianqi dared not provoke him again. He stood meekly to the side, fully performing the role of a subservient underling.
But Meng Xizhao would not let him off so easily.
Once reunited with his people, Jin Zhu looked at him with excitement. Were it not for the crowd, she might have rushed forward. Meng Xizhao gave her a reassuring smile, then turned to the side to look at Zitang and Yinliu.
Yinliu had been gravely injured and had barely survived. With internal infections lingering, her body was weaker than before. Meng Xizhao observed her and could tell she was frailer than she had once been.
He pressed his lips together, watching her a moment longer, but said nothing. Instead, he called Mu Jianqi aside, closed the door, and held a private meeting with him.
When he emerged, Mu Jianqi’s face was pale, and he showed Meng Xizhao even greater deference—every step he took outside had to be reported to him.
The Crown Prince asked in confusion, “What did you say to him to scare him like that?”
Meng Xizhao replied, “Nothing much. I just told him that I would always keep an eye on Longxing Prefecture, and that I have my people within the administration. A prefect is responsible for the stability of their region; if he shirks his duty and I find out, I’ll submit a memorial to the emperor and impeach the Mu family. If Prince Ningoffends me, he’s exiled to Jiangzhou—so who knows where Mu Jianqi would be sent if he offends me?”
The Crown Prince couldn’t help but laugh. “You really know how to frighten people.”
Meng Xizhao shrugged. “Not frightening, really. It’s all the truth. I don’t like being at a disadvantage. Whoever crosses me, I repay tenfold. And I believe in ‘cutting the grass at the root.’ I can’t just take him down now, only to have his family plotting revenge later.”
The Crown Prince smiled, about to say more, but saw Meng Xizhao stand up. “I’m going to talk to my maid staff for a moment.”
The Crown Prince had also noticed the young woman named Yinliu. Thinking of her ordeal, he nodded, “Go ahead. Once we return to Yingtian, have the physician who treated me also examine her. Perhaps she can recover some of her strength.”
Hearing this, Meng Xizhao paused for a moment, then ran back quickly.
He embraced Cui Ye, his voice full of emotion: “You’re so good to me~”
Cui Ye: “…………”
After Meng Xizhao left, Cui Ye took a moment to recover from his sudden display of affection. He looked thoughtfully at the main gate, realizing he might now know how to make Meng Xizhao happy.
……
After returning to Yingtian, Qingfu did not come back—not because he didn’t want to, but because Jin Zhu would not allow it.
In her own words, returning was pointless; he would only fret alongside the others at Longxing Prefecture. It was better for him to stay in Yingtian, maintaining constant communication with his master and the household. Qingfu, always by Meng Xizhao’s side, knew best what had occurred in Longxing.
At the time, no one knew Meng Xizhao’s true situation, nor could they predict the outcome of the Crown Prince’s expedition. Jin Zhu’s decision to have Qingfu stay added another measure of certainty to their final success.
After all, with time, the court could forget that Meng Xizhao had been in enemy hands. The Meng family needed to advocate for him regularly, subtly reminding others of his deeds to achieve results without appearing overbearing.
Hearing Jin Zhu’s reasoning, Meng Xizhao admired her greatly. “Mother, hiring you back then was truly wise.”
Jin Zhu smiled at him, now daring to joke with him: “It’s enough that you know, my lord.”
Meng Xizhao laughed softly.
After learning some of the recent developments from Jin Zhu, Meng Xizhao turned to look at Yinliu.
Yinliu felt embarrassed under his gaze. “My lord, I’m fine now.”
Meng Xizhao didn’t offer empty comfort; after all, from any perspective, Yinliu had suffered on his behalf.
“Once we return, you’ll manage the household affairs for me. Don’t overwork yourself. Since this household has no formal lady of the house, you and Jin Zhu will act in that capacity. Speaking of which, you two aren’t that young anymore. Have you thought about marriage, establishing your own little families?”
Jin Zhu was taken aback; Yinliu also hesitated.
They exchanged a glance.
It wasn’t that they hadn’t thought about it. Every girl, growing up under the guidance of matrons and mothers, had imagined her own future family—even someone as clear-headed as Zhan Hui.
But working alongside Meng Xizhao had opened their eyes to many different perspectives and experiences. Their hearts had grown—so much so that they no longer felt merely like maids.
Yinliu’s face was full of resistance. She didn’t want to marry casually, much less a household guard with few books of learning. Even as head maids, the men they might marry were, at most, stewards.
Jin Zhu, being smarter and more aware of Meng Xizhao, understood that he had practically treated them like daughters he could command.
……
She knew that since Meng Xizhao asked, he must have had his own reasons. She asked directly, “My lord, do you intend to find us husbands?”
Hearing the question, Meng Xizhao let out a small “ah” and felt slightly embarrassed. Scratching his head, he said, “If I don’t, who else would? You can’t just go to a matchmaker yourselves. But there’s no rush. We’ll take our time. Once I rise in rank and establish my household, as those closest to me, finding a suitable husband won’t be too difficult. Then tell me what you want—a scholar, a martial artist, or someone from a noble family. Even if they aren’t particularly capable, at least they have status. You can train them, invest in the next generation—it won’t be wasted.”
Jin Zhu was already twenty this year; Yinliu was half a year younger, and Zitang was the youngest, only sixteen.
Zitang knew it wasn’t her turn yet, so she asked out of curiosity: “But if Jin Zhu and Yinliu marry into those families, will they still be able to act as the mistress of the household for my lord? If they can’t, does that mean it should be me then?”
Meng Xizhao: “…………”
If it were you… I’d probably die of anxiety within two days.
Jin Zhu and Yinliu: “…………”
Are you really thinking of nothing else right now? And this is what concerns you?!
Jin Zhu asked, “My lord, do you intend to open your household alone?”
Yinliu said, “We’re only maids. How could we ever marry into a noble family?”
Meng Xizhao answered Jin Zhu first: “Yes, it’s about time. My rank is not low, and I still live at home. In the future, it won’t be convenient. You know my father’s temper—anyone coming to me, he’ll ask a thousand questions. Better I open a household myself.”
Then, he lifted his teacup, took a sip, and replied to Yinliu: “Even the palace ladies in charge of the empress’s household can marry a third-rank official. Why couldn’t my maids marry into noble families? Even if they do marry, I will still rely on you. If anyone looks down on you for it, I will annul it. I’ve climbed to this position—do you think I can’t protect you?”
Yinliu’s eyes grew slightly moist.
She also knew that Meng Xizhao wasn’t suddenly bringing this up; he had seen her injured and knew she wouldn’t be able to handle heavy work in the future. That was why he raised the matter now, to ease her mind.
Sniffling, she shook her head. “My lord, I don’t want to marry yet.”
Where would marriage compare to being happy here? Even as the official wife of a noble household, it couldn’t match the comfort of being a young maid by her lord’s side.
Meng Xizhao smiled and agreed without hesitation: “Then don’t marry. It’s all your choice.”
He was only offering an option. Whether they chose it was entirely up to them. People’s desires change; maybe she doesn’t want to marry now, but later she might. Whenever that day comes, Meng Xizhao would give them full confidence and never allow anyone to criticize or belittle them.
Jin Zhu, standing beside her, pressed her lips together and smiled faintly.
In truth, even without Meng Xizhao’s intervention, things would likely develop in this direction naturally.
As the saying goes, when one person achieves success, even their dogs and chickens rise. Since Meng Xizhao had decided not to marry and entrusted the household duties to his maids, everyone could see his abilities firsthand. The only way to get close to him would be either to marry his sister—impossible for middle-to-upper-class families—or the second option: to marry one of his trusted maids.
People will risk everything for wealth; they will marry a maid to gain influence. Zitang was too young to realize this, hence her question. Everyone knew such a situation was virtually impossible.
Marrying them would only be a way to connect with Meng Xizhao—there would be no actual work to gain, so it wouldn’t really matter.
Thinking so clearly, Jin Zhu’s slightly excited heart gradually calmed.
Why marry? Marriage brings constraints. The benefits a husband could give likely couldn’t match what her lord already gave.
This matter could be discussed later.