FYM - 115

On the twenty-seventh day of the third month, the final selection for the military examination was held. As promised, Song Shuyan personally went to the training grounds to assess and confer official appointments upon the successful candidates. By all rights, the young emperor should have attended as well, but early that morning, a messenger from Gui’an Palace reported that the young master’s health was slightly indisposed, and he should avoid the wind. Thus, the empress dowager would preside over the event alone.

“His Majesty is unwell?”

Song Shuyan frowned slightly, recalling that she hadn’t seen Wei Xi come to Fuqing Palace to pay his respects these past two days. Chao Hua, standing nearby, lowered her head and replied, “The other day it was reported to Her Majesty that he had caught a cold—it was nothing serious. The Imperial Physician has been attending to him daily.”

She nodded upon hearing this, realizing that in her recent busyness, she had forgotten about this matter. However, she wondered why such a minor illness hadn’t improved after two or three days. She decided that after today’s affairs were concluded, she must visit Gui’an Palace to check on him.

The imperial carriage moved to the Taicheng training grounds, where the successful military candidates were already standing solemnly under the blazing sun. Several officials from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites were present. Song Shuyan, surrounded by the crowd, took her seat on the high platform. The first person she saw was Fang Xianting standing to her left.

The ministers knelt and shouted “Long live,” and with just one glance at him, she motioned for them to rise. Lowering her gaze, she looked at the candidates in the middle of the training grounds. The one in the center was older, of medium build, and exuded a calm demeanor—clearly someone who had endured much training. She presumed this was Jiang Chao, whom Fang Xianting had mentioned to her the other day.

She nodded, signaling the Vice Minister of War to begin the examination. After the ringing of the golden bell, dust filled the air on the training grounds. Today’s final test was in horse-mounted spear combat.

Standing guard nearby was Zhonglang General Song Mingzhen, who years ago had stumbled in this very event when he took the military examination. Today, he watched with great interest, frequently craning his neck and sighing behind his sister. His every move was closely tied to the battle situation on the field.

Finding it amusing, Song Shuyan turned around and teased her second brother, “If Zhonglang General is so eager, why not join the candidates and spar with them? It’s better than pacing here restlessly.”

Seeing his sister in a good mood, Song Mingzhen raised an eyebrow and smiled, bowing his hand. “These newcomers should be taught a lesson, but my skills are too crude to handle this task. Besides, with Lord Fang here today, who dares to show off?”

His words enlivened the atmosphere on the high platform. The surrounding officials laughed and chimed in, urging Lord Fang to provide guidance. He shook his head and smiled, replying, “We’ll have plenty of opportunities to work together in the army; there’s no rush for today.”

Dressed in his official robes as per regulations, it was indeed inconvenient for him to step onto the field to teach the younger generation. A moment later, Song Shuyan heard the Minister of War, Fang Xing, chuckle beside her: “Even if Lord Fang avoids it today, Zhuoying can’t escape. They’ve made bets again this year, saying whoever can tame it deserves to be called the ‘military champion.’”

The Fang clan members spoke more casually among themselves, which amused the others even more. Betting on Zhuoying had become a popular game among military candidates since the Taiqing era. It was said that the horse’s notorious temper had spread widely, enticing a group of hot-blooded young men to test their mettle. Riding this fierce horse seemed to elevate them to the same level as Lord Fang. Every time, it was the most anticipated spectacle of the final selection.

Fang Xianting knew this year wouldn’t be any different. Not wanting to dampen everyone’s spirits, he resignedly said, “So be it. Let them have their way.”

Though the selection process was significant, it didn’t take long to complete. Within half an hour, the dust on the training grounds began to settle. The top scorer was a young man whose face was unfamiliar. Jiang Chao ranked third, also quite outstanding.

Song Shuyan was highly satisfied with what she saw. At the respectful request of the Ministry of Rites officials, she stepped down from the high platform and entered the training grounds. Everyone rose with her. After receiving her approval, the Vice Minister of War read out the imperial decree. Those who had taken the exam would need to wait for the Ministry of War to evaluate them before being appointed. However, Jiang Chao, who already held an official position, was personally appointed by the empress dowager as Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Great Marshal’s Office, a rank of the third order, and was ordered to head north to Hedong the next day to assist in the war effort.

“I have heard that you have long guarded Taiyuan, familiar with the methods of the barbarians and the changes in the current situation,” Song Shuyan solemnly handed the official seal and documents to him. “I entrust you with the great task of bringing peace. I hope you will once again strive for the nation.”

Jiang Chao knelt on both knees to receive the seal and mission, bowing deeply and responding earnestly, “This subject will not betray Your Majesty’s grace. I will do my utmost, even if it costs me my life.”

The surrounding military candidates only heard the empress dowager respond gently with a “Good.” With that, the ceremony of bestowing the seal and appointment was completed. They quietly glanced at the purple-clad, stern-faced man standing beside the empress dowager, hands clasped behind his back, guessing that he must be Lord Fang Xianting, the renowned head of the five senior ministers of Yingchuan.

Lord Fang’s fame was illustrious. In the eyes of the world, he was dignified and revered like a god. After the “disarmament and branding” incident in Yangzhou, stories of him spread far and wide, inspiring many aspiring youths to emulate him. Now, seeing the legendary figure appear before their eyes, the juniors couldn’t help but feel their hearts race and steal glances repeatedly. Their excitement completely overshadowed the regret of not seeing the emperor’s true appearance.

Other civil and military officials noticed that the juniors’ thoughts had drifted to Lord Fang. They laughed and invited the latter to allow someone to bring out Zhuoying. The horse’s unruly temperament was well-known—it kicked and bucked along the way, until it saw Fang Xianting, at which point it finally calmed down. From afar, it shook off the person leading it and trotted over to him.

Seeing this, the military candidates became even more excited. Facing the legendary steed right before their eyes, how could they resist testing their skills? Song Mingzhen noticed their eyes reddening and carefully pulled Song Shuyan back a bit, whispering, “Be careful and keep your distance. My third brother’s horse might get wild.”

—Song Shuyan was well-acquainted with Zhuoying’s capabilities.

Back in the deep forests of Lishan, it showed no fear even when facing tigers and wolves. Later, whenever it saw her, it always carried an air of pride and disdain, and probably wouldn’t let her mount it without Fang Xianting coaxing it. Today, it seemed to have had a poor night’s sleep, and its temper was especially foul. Entering the training grounds, it was surrounded by a group of muscular men, each trying to grab the reins and subdue it. Enraged, it let out a loud neigh, full of defiance and ferocity. Even when someone managed to mount it, it ran wildly in the field, leaping high and landing hard, throwing the rider off violently, making them spit blood before relenting.

This terrifying scene made the civil officials pale and cover their eyes repeatedly. However, the generals found it highly entertaining. Most of them had likely been thrown off horses in similar manners before, and now watching others end up in the same sorry state brought them a peculiar sense of satisfaction. After a bout of frenzy, Zhuoying finally instilled a sense of caution in the military candidates, deterring them from approaching further. It then slowly paced around the field. Suddenly, it turned its head and happened to look in Song Shuyan’s direction. Its slightly disordered steps paused, and its grape-like eyes sparkled with recognition. The next moment, it slowly walked toward her.

Song Shuyan was startled. The guards around her stepped forward cautiously to prevent any harm to the empress dowager. Fang Xianting moved, reaching out to grab Zhuoying’s reins and firmly restraining it. However, the horse showed no sign of agitation. It looked at its master and then turned its head to look at her, as if to say—

…It recognized her.

From many, many years ago… it recognized her.

Both of them were startled, their expressions momentarily distant. The next moment, Fang Xianting’s hand loosened slightly, and Zhuoying continued walking forward until it reached Song Shuyan—then gently lowered its head.

“This…”

The crowd was astonished. How could the fierce horse that had just shown off its prowess before the military candidates now obediently bow its head to the seemingly frail empress dowager? Song Shuyan, however, was lost in thought, gazing at Zhuoying before her. At that moment, she probably didn’t care what others thought.

She had drawn it for many years… though she always deliberately altered details to avoid revealing too much, every time she picked up the brush, her mind was filled with it—the sound of it on the official road in Shangzhou, the sight of it galloping like a startled swan in the deep forests of Lishan, the image of it leisurely enjoying the spring scenery in Jiangnan, and… fighting alongside him on battlefields unseen by her.

His name and appearance had always been taboo, but his horse was a metaphor she could borrow. Amid countless watchful eyes, she drew as if no one else was around. Now, it had finally stepped out of the pages and stood before her—with flesh and blood, warmth and breath, like an old friend she hadn’t seen in ages, reminiscing with her. Vaguely… it no longer seemed to despise her as it once did.

She slowly extended her hand toward it. It didn’t shy away, waiting for her touch. Its glossy coat felt so soft and real that it almost brought tears to her eyes when she touched it. But then it moved again, turning its body toward her, seemingly inviting her to mount it. The surrounding civil and military officials were even more astonished, quietly murmuring among themselves.

She suddenly snapped out of her reverie, pulling her hand back as if burned. Taking half a step back, her expression appeared normal, but the emotions in her eyes were so disheveled—she shouldn’t have touched it, she…

He had seen everything. The emotion and sentiment in her expression as Zhuoying approached her, and the fear and regret in her eyes when she was jolted awake by the murmurs—she even quickly glanced at him, her apologetic gaze seeming to say “I’m sorry”—”Sorry” for what? Sorry for having shared a past with him? Sorry for touching his horse like an ordinary person?

The feeling of pain was familiar. In an instant, he seemed to return to that night in Yangzhou when they were alone in the cabin. Though he had never felt sorry for himself in the past, her restrained gaze still made him feel a hundredfold sorrow and frustration.

—She shouldn’t have to live like this.

Everything that belonged to him… she should have been able to claim freely.

As people whispered among themselves, the next moment they saw Lord Fang personally holding Zhuoying’s reins and bowing to the empress dowager, lowering his head and saying, “This subject will assist Her Majesty in mounting the horse.”

Song Shuyan was startled upon hearing this, her heart immediately filled with panic. She didn’t know why he wasn’t avoiding suspicion but instead drawing more attention to them. When she tried to refuse, he looked up at her again. Beneath layers of restraint, a rare tenderness peeked through, momentarily transporting her back to that most perfect and sweet mid-spring of her life.

He hadn’t forgotten her.

Perhaps… he even missed her.

All unspoken understandings became certain in this moment, clearer by a hundredfold than the ambiguous shadows in the waterside pavilion. She didn’t know how she managed not to cry, only that her trembling fingertips lightly rested on the back of his hand. Silently, he helped her mount the horse. Zhuoying, unusually docile, stood still, waiting for her to sit securely before slowly walking around the training grounds. He steadily held the reins for her, as if time had reversed and they were back at the foot of Yuhuang Mountain in Qiantang.

An intensely bittersweet sweetness overflowed in her heart. At that moment, neither of them could clearly discern whether what they felt was pain or joy. Only Song Mingzhen and the Fang clan members’ unease was palpable, for they all knew of the past between the two and sensed that they still…

“How marvelous! How wonderful!”

The Minister of War, Fang Xing, reacted the quickest, clapping his hands and praising loudly to cover for his lord.

“Our great Zhou dynasty’s harmonious ruler and ministers, united as one, even moving beasts and flying birds to feel it! This truly is a blessing for the nation and all its people!”

Upon hearing this, Song Mingzhen inwardly marveled at the talent of the Fang clan and hurriedly wiped the sweat from his forehead, chiming in with agreement. The other civil and military officials, unaware of the truth, followed suit, bowing and offering praise. In reality, only those who knew the truth felt uneasy and anxious. To the others, it simply seemed novel and intriguing that the empress dowager could tame the fierce horse.

Song Shuyan no longer cared what others thought. Her gaze lingered subtly on the man who was leading her horse. In truth, she had never harbored much greed. Even now, she felt that fate had treated her kindly, leaving her with a final trace of longing. Even if it was just illusory comfort, it was enough to make her deeply grateful.

Let them walk like this forever. Neither of them needed to remember the winding paths they had taken to get here.

Nor did they need to ask… about the final destination where all would settle.