◎Origins◎

Late into the night, Qu You finally saw Nurse Yun out of her room.

She had only heard vague accounts of how Zhou Tan’s parents had died in an accident in Lin’an. Now, after hearing Nurse Yun recount the story in detail, she felt a whirlwind of emotions.

During the Da Yin era, though the power of aristocratic families had declined, the old prestigious clans still held sway. The Bai family was the foremost lineage in Jinling, and Zhou Tan’s mother, Bai Qiu, was the eldest daughter of the main branch. From a young age, she had been showered with love and was said to be both talented and intelligent, excelling in both literature and martial arts. By the time she reached marriageable age, suitors had flooded their gates.

The Bai family’s ancestors were enshrined in the imperial temple; some served as high-ranking officials, while others amassed great wealth through commerce. Over the years, they had also aided many unrelated branches, truly embodying a noble lineage. Bai Qiu’s father, who served as the governor of Jinling, was deeply beloved by the people.

Growing up in such a household, Bai Qiu naturally developed lofty aspirations.

Nurse Yun, who had served Bai Qiu since the age of fifteen, often heard her declare her wish to marry a hero of the times.

When Emperor Xuan first ascended the throne, his elder brother, who had contested the succession, rebelled and led his forces to Jinling, besieging the city for seven days.

During those seven days, rivers of blood flowed within Jinling. Many prominent families were wiped out entirely, disappearing forever. Nurse Yun still remembered how the rebels had reached the gates of the Bai estate.

But the entire Bai family was saved by a young general.

The times were too chaotic for Nurse Yun to know the general’s name, but he was hailed as the savior of the Bai family. Bai Qiu secretly fell in love with him, and once the situation stabilized, she chased after him, leaving Jinling.

Three years later, she returned.

By then, Nurse Yun hadn’t seen Bai Qiu in a long time and joyfully went to greet her. But the woman who stood before her was gaunt and pale. Slowly raising her head, Bai Qiu whispered, “A Yun, he doesn’t want me anymore.”

Bai Qiu’s father raged in the ancestral hall, even planning to confront the man for answers. But Bai Qiu, kneeling silently in the hall, said nothing. At dawn the next day, she packed her belongings and left home.

The Bai family’s strict clan rules expelled her from the genealogy, and she never returned.

Nurse Yun later heard that it was a concubine-born cousin from the seventh branch who helped Bai Qiu escape. She seemed intent on finding someone and traveled far to Lin’an.

Years passed, and one day, their master suddenly sent Nurse Yun and several trusted maidservants to Lin’an.

Nurse Yun finally reunited with her mistress. Bai Qiu appeared to be doing well in Lin’an. Though she carried a lingering melancholy compared to her younger years, her husband—a Mr. Zhou—treated her exceptionally well. They often practiced swordplay together in the courtyard at dawn and had two children.

Hearing this, Qu You rested her chin thoughtfully and exclaimed, “Ah, no wonder my husband knows some martial arts.”

“The young master learned swordsmanship directly from Lady Bai, while the second son was taught by Lord Zhou,” Nurse Yun sighed. “Lady Bai loved horseback riding and archery as a child. When she followed that general to the frontier, she likely learned even more. The young master was clever and, in his youth, his martial skills rivaled those of his younger brother. Unfortunately… after falling ill at fourteen or fifteen, he could no longer practice martial arts.”

Qu You lowered her eyes and murmured, “From what you’ve said, my mother-in-law and father-in-law seemed to have mutual respect. But what happened afterward…”

“Afterward…” Nurse Yun sighed repeatedly. “To be honest, I don’t know the specifics. I only remember that the night before, Lady Bai seemed to have argued with Lord Zhou. While taking the young masters to the small kitchen, I vaguely heard some sounds. Later… they rode out of the estate together and didn’t return all night. Early the next morning, the magistrate summoned us to retrieve their bodies, saying they had encountered bandits outside the city while protecting the common folk and tragically perished.”

Qu You’s brows furrowed deeply.

Nurse Yun knew very little, and her account was brief, leaving many unanswered questions. For instance, who exactly was that general? How could there be bandits in Lin’an, a place known for its peace for centuries? Zhou Tan’s parents died under mysterious circumstances—had he and Zhou Yang investigated?

But Nurse Yun could only repeat these fragmented details, and Qu You couldn’t press her further. The hour was late, and she retired to bed, sleeping soundly without dreams until the next morning when De Shu came rushing in to report that a Mr. Ai had arrived at the back gate.

Qu You quickly closed the estate gates and ushered the visitor into Xinji Hall. Ai Disheng had brought a retainer with him. She intended to send the retainer away, but upon seeing his face, she was astonished—it was Bai Shating!

Bai Shating and Ai Disheng knew each other? Why were they visiting together?

Before Qu You could voice her bewilderment, Ai Disheng glanced outside, hastily drained the teapot, caught his breath, and said, “Sister-in-law, don’t panic. Let me explain. Today, Young Master Ren was released from the Golden Hairpin Pavilion. I received word that Xiao Bai is being tortured inside.”

“What?” Qu You shot to her feet, pacing nervously before Ai Disheng. Struggling to remain calm, she asked, “His health is frail—he can’t endure severe torture. Why was he fine until now, only to suddenly…”

“This is part of Xiao Bai’s plan. Sister-in-law, don’t worry,” Ai Disheng reassured her. “I’m here today to discuss our strategy.”

“Please wait a moment, Mr. Ai.”

Qu You glanced at Bai Shating, reassured by Ai Disheng’s subtle nod. She hurried out of Xinji Hall and made her way to Songfeng Pavilion.

While waiting, the rarely closed windows and doors of Xinji Hall were shut for caution. Nurse Yun and the maidservants lowered all twelve flower-latticed windows and secured the doors. The sunlight was weak, the sky dim, nearing dusk.

When Qu You returned, she carried the sandalwood box Zhou Tan had instructed her to retrieve.

The box, placed at the bottom of the curio cabinet, was unlocked but heavy. She set it down on the low table before the three of them. “Mr. Ai, this is what my husband asked me to give you.”

“In truth, this isn’t meant for me.” Ai Disheng’s hand grazed the box as he looked up at her. “It’s meant for you.”

“Just tell her already—stop playing riddles,” Bai Shating interjected from behind, reaching for the box. Ai Disheng grabbed his wrist to stop him. “Alright, alright, take your time.”

Ai Disheng’s usual playful demeanor vanished, replaced by an uncharacteristic gravity. “Sister-in-law, do you know that after the late emperor pacified the troubles in Jinling, the empire enjoyed decades of peace? Apart from skirmishes with Xi Shao, there were no major disturbances. Although the current emperor isn’t as diligent as his predecessor, in his early reign, there was a hero who upheld the western frontiers, forcing Xi Shao to pay annual tribute until five years ago.”

“Of course I know,” Qu You steadied herself, recalling historical records. “Our dynasty’s relations with Xi Shao have always been unstable, with frequent probing conflicts. In earlier years, there was General Xiao Yue, and now there’s General Chu Lin—both renowned warriors.”

The war annals of the Da Yin dynasty listed four or five famous generals, most of whom emerged during the reigns of Emperors Xuan, De, and later Ming. Xi Shao and Da Yin clashed repeatedly, the most severe incident being when the Crown Prince staged a coup, nearly reaching the gates of Bianjing. However, Ming’s stern policies toward the borders silenced Xi Shao starting from the Chongjing era. Eventually, Xi Shao collapsed under pressure from other tribes.

But why did Ai Disheng bring up these seemingly unrelated events at this moment?

“The downfall of beauties past their prime and aging heroes—what do you suppose that is?”

Downfall?

Qu You paused, startled. When later generations skimmed through history, they often paid more attention to a person’s achievements than to their eventual fate. Aside from the famously tragic ends of a few individuals, most were largely ignored.

For instance, many knew of Wei Zifu’s brief glory but overlooked her tragic end due to accusations of witchcraft. Many recognized Bai Qi and Deng Ai as renowned generals but didn’t know they met their deaths far from the battlefield, in the treacherous courts, leaving much to lament.

She thought carefully before answering cautiously: “Naturally... it would be neglect. I’ve heard General Xiao Yue died in the Battle of Pengcheng when reinforcements never arrived. He lived his life without a wife or children. As for General Chu Lin...”

Qu You trailed off, unwilling to continue. Poor Chu Lin—a lifetime of loyalty to the throne, repeatedly defeating Xi Shao, only to die in the palace coup during Emperor Shang’s usurpation, his body lost forever.

At this point, Qu You suddenly shivered.

Because she saw Ai Disheng dip his finger in tea and write a single character on the table: “Xiao.”

The story Nurse Yun had told and Ai Disheng’s revelations sparked a suspicion in her so bold she barely dared to entertain it. Swallowing hard, Qu You reached out and opened the sandalwood box.

In the dim light of the room, she saw a heavy piece of black iron engraved with gold.

“Sister-in-law, let me ask you again: What becomes of beauties past their prime and aging heroes? Do you truly understand?”

Wei Zifu’s son perished alongside her; did Bai Qi and Deng Ai leave descendants?

A human life was so long, and a thousand years of history even longer. Despite her lifelong study of history, she realized how futile it all was. Truths were swept away by the winds of change, leaving behind only the victors’ ink—words dressed up however they pleased.

She turned the piece of iron over and saw the character “Xiao” engraved on the back.

“The general who pacified Xi Shao for thirty li was bestowed the title of Duke Zhen Guo, granted five hundred households in Ruo Prefecture, with equal stipends passed down to his descendants… The bearer of this decree shall be pardoned nine times, their descendants three times. For any minor offenses, no punishment may be imposed.”

She had read about such objects countless times but never imagined she’d see one with her own eyes.

“An iron decree…”

Qu You held the heavy piece of iron, her hands trembling violently. Glancing down, she noticed beneath it lay a jade pendant of deep green, engraved with the character “Bai.”

Finally, tied tightly with a red string, was a lock of hair, well-preserved despite its age, perfectly neat and undisturbed.

“The general from back then… was Xiao Yue.” Qu You closed her eyes. Seeing the iron decree, she almost immediately pieced together Nurse Yun’s incomplete story and simultaneously understood Zhou Tan’s trump card.

Zhou Tan was, in fact, the son of Xiao Yue.

History books would never record the secrets hidden beneath Zhenru Palace, nor delve deeply into Zhou Tan’s origins. If she were still alive in this era, merely proposing such an absurd theory might have shocked the academic world into silence.

Then, abruptly, she opened her eyes: “Mr. Ai, do you know... how General Xiao died?”

He had been hinting at something for so long—it surely carried deeper meaning.

Ai Disheng replied succinctly: “General Xiao grew up alongside the current emperor. He quelled the chaos in Jinling and secured victories against Xi Shao. But after His Majesty ascended the throne… the two drifted apart. Though beloved by the frontier, General Xiao occasionally defied military orders after battles…”

He didn’t need to finish. Qu You could already guess the rest of this tale of rabbits hunted once the hounds were no longer needed.

But Ai Disheng shifted his tone, adding: “At the time, Chancellor Fu, serving in the Ministry of Personnel, submitted a secret memorial.”