With Duke Xiao in charge of the court and external threats eliminated, Wu quickly completed the enthronement of the new child emperor. Wei Tingyu's journey to the southwest was finally over.
He divided his Xuanjia Army into two parts, each led by a male Golden Shadow Guard, and stationed them in Andu and Wudu. These two armies would assist Duke Chu and Duke Xiao in stabilizing their respective countries. They also served as a deterrent; as long as they controlled the armories, palaces, and all strategic points in both capitals, Wei Tingyu wasn't worried about any rebellion. The remaining 1,600 elite cavalry were led by another male Golden Shadow Guard and stationed in a valley on the border, ready to respond quickly if the situation changed in either country.
The Wu Six-Doors and the An Scarlet Guard organizations were also reorganized. Two female Golden Shadow Guards were put in charge of them, staying behind to assist Dukes Chu and Xiao. These women were loyal only to Wei Tingyu, so they also served as a means of surveillance.
With everything arranged, Wei Tingyu, along with Ren Ruyi, Yang Ying, Xiao Yan, and Chuyue, began their journey back to the capital. They were accompanied by a chest full of silver notes, which was the equivalent of the 100,000 taels of gold. After all, he had to bring back some riches to show for his long trip, and to appease his wives and concubines at home.
"Haha, this is interesting," Wei Tingyu said with a meaningful smile, looking at the fast courier letter he had just received.
Before his return, he had sent a memorial to the court in the capital, reporting on his diplomatic mission. Of course, he didn't mention that he now had 3,000 elite soldiers and control over the governments of both An and Wu. He simply exaggerated his accomplishments, stating that he had not only completed his mission to Wu but had also traveled to An, greatly easing tensions between the two nations and preventing war.
He was surprised that a letter from the court had arrived so quickly after his own memorial.
"What's so funny, Marquis?" the four women in the carriage asked, curious about his smile.
"See for yourselves," he said, handing the letter to Yang Ying. She took it and began reading aloud. As the other women listened, their expressions changed. The letter was a clear commendation, expressing the court's satisfaction with his mission and promising him a generous reward upon his return.
"This is good news!" Yang Ying said after she finished. "But your smile didn't seem very happy."
"Why would the Marquis care about the Emperor's reward?" Ren Ruyi said with a laugh. "Let him dream of being Emperor for a little while longer."
"That's true," Chuyue agreed, nodding vigorously. "When you're ready to rebel, let me be the vanguard!"
The other women were speechless. It seemed the word "rebellion" came so easily to Chuyue; she truly only cared about battle.
"But this reward will likely be significant," Xiao Yan, the most politically astute of the women, said after a moment of thought. "Perhaps a promotion to duke? While you may not care for it, a higher rank would give you more freedom to expand your influence."
Xiao Yan's words were not mere flattery. They were based on careful consideration. Wei Tingyu's actions in Wu and An were secretive. No one in the capital could possibly connect the political upheaval in those countries to him. How could a foreign marquis with just a few guards overthrow two governments? The Emperor and his ministers, no matter how imaginative, would never guess Wei Tingyu was the mastermind.
From their perspective, he was just a lucky diplomat who happened to be in the middle of a political storm. He was lucky to have made it back alive. The court's initial goal was to ally with Wu to prevent An from becoming too powerful. Now, with both countries in turmoil and ruled by regents, the chance of war was slim. This would ensure peace in the southwest for a long time. Even if outsiders didn't see Wei Tingyu's involvement, such a great success demanded recognition. A higher title and a generous salary were likely what awaited him.
"That's what I figured," Wei Tingyu said, smiling at Xiao Yan. With her ambition gone, she was a perfect strategist for him.
"Marquis!" a male Golden Shadow Guard on horseback rode up to the carriage window. "The sky looks grim. There's a storm brewing. It's dangerous to travel in the mountains at night. We should find somewhere to rest before the rain hits." These Golden Shadow Guards were as intelligent as anyone, but their skills and observation were far superior, which was why Wei Tingyu trusted them to lead his forces.
The four women looked to Wei Tingyu for his decision. "Alright," he said. The journey back to the capital would take over ten days anyway, so an extra night wouldn't matter.
The convoy continued on. As dusk approached, they found a small fishing village nestled between a mountain and a lake. Seeing the storm clouds gathering, Wei Tingyu's group decided to stay at the village inn for the night. The innkeeper and his wife had never hosted such distinguished guests. The waiter was trembling with fear, and the owners repeatedly bowed, apologizing for their humble accommodations.
Wei Tingyu, with no airs, gave each of them five taels of silver and was led to his room. The inn was small but clean. The furniture was old but spotless, which pleased the women. It was much better than sleeping in a tent during a storm. The innkeepers, being shrewd, knew that a man with Wei Tingyu's noble demeanor and four beautiful women was no ordinary guest. They went all out with the dinner. Wei Tingyu enjoyed the meal, listening to the distant thunder and the sound of the rain, savoring the local delicacies.
The most pleasant surprise came after dinner when a courier sent by Dou Zhao arrived, having also been delayed by the rain.
"Is the Lady worried about your journey?"
"They say the Marquis and the Lady are deeply in love. It seems to be true!"
"Are you jealous?"
"I wouldn't dare! If I can hold half the position in his heart as the Lady, I'll be happy!"
"Dream on! You'll be lucky to have a tenth of her position!"
"It's better than nothing! As long as he has me in his heart, I'm happy!"
Yang Ying and Chuyue laughed and teased each other as Wei Tingyu read Dou Zhao's letter by the light of the oil lamp. His expression, however, grew serious, silencing them.
"Marquis..." Ren Ruyi, who had been with him the longest, cautiously sat beside him. "Has something happened at home?" The other three women also tensed, fearing bad news. They prayed that nothing was wrong at the manor.
"No," Wei Tingyu said, shaking his head. He had left more than forty Golden Shadow Guards at his manor, so he was never worried about their safety. His seriousness came from an important piece of information in Dou Zhao's letter.
Political turmoil had erupted in the capital during his absence. The letter said that the powerful Left Guard Director, the chief eunuch Pei Dafu, had died mysteriously overnight. He had been corrupt and amassed a huge fortune, which was now missing. The Emperor had ordered a thorough investigation to find his hidden wealth and his numerous adopted sons. The capital's officials were terrified. Dou Zhao remarked that Wei Tingyu had left at the perfect time, avoiding the political storm, and urged him to be cautious upon his return.
Wei Tingyu passed the letter to the women, and they read and discussed it, agreeing they had to be discreet. But Wei Tingyu was thinking about something else entirely. After the conclusion of the story of A Journey of Love, the world of Yan Hui Shi had begun. And if the system worked as he knew it did, he was already in the middle of it. This rainstorm and the small fishing village they were in... could it be?
He clapped his hands, and a female Golden Shadow Guard entered. "Your orders, Marquis?" she asked, bowing.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"We entered the borders of Danzhou at noon today, Marquis."
"Danzhou?!" Wei Tingyu's eyes lit up. His guess was right. The system had, without him knowing, placed him in the world of Yan Hui Shi, and the protagonist, Zhuang Hanyan, was right under his nose. He realized this small village was likely where she grew up.
"Find the innkeeper. I have some questions for him," Wei Tingyu ordered. The innkeeper was brought to him, and after a short interrogation, Wei Tingyu confirmed it. This was indeed Zhuang Hanyan's village. He learned that a crazy scholar named Zhang Youcai lived here and had adopted a girl. The locals felt sorry for her because she was mistreated.
"You may go," Wei Tingyu said, giving the innkeeper another five taels of silver. The man left happily, and Wei Tingyu fell into deep thought. Zhang Youcai and his wife were still alive, and Zhuang Hanyan hadn't left yet. This storm was almost certainly the beginning of her story. Since he was already here, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to get involved.
It was Zhuang Hanyan's seventeenth birthday. As usual, she wore a coarse cloth dress and sat in a corner of the dinner table, staring at a flickering candle. She ate rice quickly, a small, thin girl showing signs of long-term malnutrition. She didn't dare to touch the other dishes. She had grown used to this life.
"Where did you spend the money?!" her adoptive father, the scholar Zhang Youcai, yelled, slamming his empty wine pot on the table and glaring at his wife.
"What is it?" his wife asked fearfully. Her simple question only fueled his rage. As a scholar who had failed the imperial exams multiple times, he felt the world owed him. With no other skills, he took out his frustration on others. He flipped the table, shouting, "Where did you hide the money?! Give it to me!"
Zhuang Hanyan was accustomed to this. She calmly moved aside with her rice bowl as the table was overturned. She had seen this scene play out in their broken home many times. To her, the bowl of rice in her hands was far more important.