Is this Mu Changzhou?
Shunyin could hardly believe her eyes, yet hearing the words, it was undeniably Mu Changzhou.
Although she had rarely spoken to him directly, she had heard him address others many times. Now his voice, not only deeper and richer, but also gentle and steady, was unmistakably his.
Then she remembered: this was the voice that had made her stop and bow during the day...
A maid approached to assist her into the carriage, and she realized she remained standing. Suppressing her turbulent emotions, she returned to the carriage.
Two attendants armed with bows immediately emerged from the waiting group, escorting the carriage.
The carriage followed closely behind. Shunyin glanced out the window. The figure, still seated upon his horse, half-illuminated by moonlight and firelight, passed by the carriage.
It suddenly occurred to her that since he hadn't reacted earlier, perhaps he had forgotten her. The thought brought a sense of relief. After all, in her current circumstances, she didn't wish to be recognized.
This was a small town thirty miles east of Liangzhou.
It proved decidedly different with proper reception. The inn in the city was already prepared and waiting.
When Shunyin entered the upper room of the inn, a bathtub was already positioned, filled with fragrant water. Steaming food and tea rested on the table, and the entire room was suffused with pleasant aromas.
"Madam, Madam!"
She turned toward the door and found a maid calling her.
Perhaps because she had ignored them, the maid carefully observed her expression, though certainly nothing could be discerned through the veil.
Shunyin had required several calls before responding to them along the way. Aware of this, she offered an excuse: "I was somewhat startled today, so I wasn't paying attention."
The maid seemed relieved, lowering her head. "The postman at the inn has conveyed word from the military commander. They were delayed en route, and now the auspicious day has passed by two days. According to Liangzhou custom, Madam should rest here today and enter the city and mansion tomorrow as mistress of the military commander's residence."
Shunyin's eyes flickered slightly. It hadn't troubled her before, but hearing "Military Commander" and then "Military Commander's Residence" again made her feel somewhat uneasy. The fingers that had previously lifted her veil flashed before her mind, along with the figure on horseback...
Noticing the maid still observing her, she collected her thoughts and asked, "Why do they call him 'Military Commander'?" She recalled that military commanders of this dynasty were typically referred to simply as such.
The maid replied, "It's only in Liangzhou that he's addressed this way. Because the military commander's duties are so crucial, no one can replace him. The general manager has specially decreed this honorific title."
Shunyin thought: So he spoke truthfully. His position in Liangzhou is indeed exceptionally high. It's hardly surprising. After all, the Duke of Wuwei's fiefdom lies here. As an adopted son, how low could his status possibly be in his own territory? It's merely nothing compared to the glory he possessed when young and successful in the capital.
She nodded and ceased inquiring. The maid understood and departed.
After bathing and dining, night had deepened.
This inn maintained remarkable quietness, and it seemed Shunyin was its sole occupant. No lights or fires burned outside, and even the loud-voiced commander was nowhere to be seen.
The absence of human voices rendered the previous meeting somehow unreal.
Shunyin, wearing her thin shift, sat at the table with pen in hand. Before her lay a folding book she had just extracted from her bag. Inside was her manuscript. The page she had opened bore three characters: "Huining Pass."
She wrote no more. Instead, she rubbed her right wrist. She had been injured by the arrow when they encountered bandits during the day. Though it no longer pained her, her right wrist remained somewhat uncomfortable.
While massaging it, she thought of her younger brother Feng Wuji. She expected he would soon arrive in Qinzhou. If he knew the person she was to marry was Mu Changzhou, she wondered what he would think.
Considering this, she actually smiled, because she thought of her mother.
She had rejected her father's marriage proposal at the Qujiang Night Banquet. Her mother naturally knew of it. Perhaps that explained why she hadn't revealed whom Shunyin would marry this time. It simply happened that in her desperation, she hadn't asked.
She wondered whether what she did now could be considered useful...
Shunyin paused and suddenly lost interest. She cast down the pen, closed the folding book, returned it to her bag, and lay down to sleep.
She closed her eyes, and her mind churned with chaos. She recalled the splendor of Chang'an City in her youth. Her father was still present, everyone was there, and the family flourished.
Then she reminded herself not to dwell on it any longer. She was about to enter Liangzhou and had already bid farewell to the past.
It was all because of Mu Changzhou—his sudden appearance—that triggered all these unwarranted memories...
She drifted in a haze for some indeterminate time when suddenly an arrow pierced her, causing her to stumble and fall, jolting her awake.
The light outside the window was blinding. Shunyin closed her eyes to adjust, then touched her forehead, discovering a layer of cold sweat.
She hadn't been startled by the bandits themselves, but the arrow had delivered the greatest shock, leaving her unable to sleep soundly.
Dawn had already broken, and a maid was waiting outside. At the slightest sound, she called, "Madam, may I enter the city?"
Shunyin paused, sat up, and prepared herself by grasping her bag from the bedside before saying, "Yes."
The door immediately opened, and five or six maids filed in, carrying basins and boxes, serving tea and food, and attending to everything necessary to help her rise.
Shunyin wasn't accustomed to being served, but she understood she needed to present herself appropriately for Liangzhou, so she permitted them to proceed.
After she finished dressing and changed her garments, she heard the faint sound of horses neighing outside—probably someone had arrived to receive her.
The maids had just completed their tasks and departed, though one or two still secretly observed her.
Shunyin glanced at the bronze mirror. The person reflected had long black hair, red lips and defined brows, as though she appeared the same as before, yet not the same as before.
She didn't observe it long. She donned her veil and departed.
When she reached the outer courtyard, she witnessed people bustling about, occupied and unceasing.
Many new soldiers with horses and swords also stood outside the courtyard gate, twice as many as usual.
A maid holding her green brocade bundle in both hands said, "Madam, please proceed to the hall and wait."
Shunyin nodded and watched the maid carry the bundle to the carriage first.
The dagger inside had been concealed in her inner sleeve when she rose. It posed no problem for them to handle the bundle now, after all, they had already seen the remaining books and clothes within.
Originally, there would have been a formal wedding ceremony upon arriving in Liangzhou, but last night, after hearing that the auspicious wedding date had passed and that she was being permitted to proceed directly to the residence, Shunyin understood the ceremony would be kept simple.
While dressing, she had heard the maids mention that Liangzhou had recently lost interest in Han wedding customs from the Central Plains, instead incorporating numerous foreign customs. The formalities before entering the residence today were also simplified; all she had to do was wait in the hall for the two best men to arrive.
She hadn't heard anyone mention the military commander throughout the entire process, and knowing she had been staying in the guesthouse alone to rest and recuperate last night, Shunyin understood she would definitely be entering Liangzhou City on her own today.
At this thought, her fingers loosened around her sleeves, and she relaxed somewhat, realizing she had been feeling awkward since she began dressing. After all, it was unbelievable: she was actually marrying Mu Changzhou...
She collected herself, walked along the corridor, and entered the hall.
Suddenly, horses neighed and voices rose in chorus outside, followed by a loud shout from the courtyard: "Hu Bo'er, the cavalry commander of the Liangzhou Marching Camp, has been ordered to escort the lady into the city!" His voice was loud and gruff, echoing throughout the courtyard. There was no one else who could match the commander's volume.
Shunyin had just stopped in the hall, thinking how swiftly they had arrived.
Then another voice called out: "Zhang Junfeng, the assistant historian of Liangzhou, has been ordered to escort the lady into the city!"
This latter voice wasn't as thunderous as Hu Bo'er's, but Shunyin still discerned what he said. His voice was familiar—the same as the thin figure she had mistakenly paid respects to last night, and the one who had called her deaf earlier, his voice carried by the wind. Perhaps it was also the same voice belonging to the one who had shot her with an arrow.
She had been about to emerge and respond, but now felt no urgency. Since she had been called deaf, Shunyin simply stood by the window, pretending not to hear.
The two men in the courtyard, perhaps puzzled by the lack of response, muttered something.
Shunyin couldn't hear clearly, so she removed her veil and leaned to the right. When she drew closer to the window, she heard they had already reached the exterior of the hall, and it seemed they were summoning a maid to ask questions.
"Is the Madam not here?" Hu Bo'er inquired.
The maid's reply was indistinct.
He said irritably, "What do you mean she may have returned to her room? Why don't you go and invite her!"
The maid must have hurried to the upper room to investigate.
Hu Bo'er suddenly exclaimed, "Zuoshi, I'm not saying anything, but you truly shouldn't have come today!"
The man named Zhang Junfeng immediately replied, "What's wrong with me?"
"Yesterday, you followed the military commander to provide support, and before you shot arrows at the sand bandits, you cursed most fiercely! I heard it from so far away!" Hu Bo'er spoke in sly tone, "Do you think the new Madam possesses a good temper? Nonsense! I was rebuked by her once! I heard from people around me that you even shot arrows at her!"
Shunyin stood by the window adjusting her veil, thinking he was quite perceptive.
Zhang Junfeng protested, "Then why should I bear the blame? The arrow was already nocked, and no matter how I called to her, she wouldn't listen..." His next words were unclear, then his voice rose again, "Of course, the arrow was shot by Junsi. How could I possibly match his accuracy!"
Shunyin frowned. Was it shot by Mu Changzhou?
"I think this new lady has poor hearing and eyesight. Last night, she even paid her respects to me. She even disregarded Junsi's figure and appearance..." Zhang Junfeng's voice continued rising and falling outside.
Shunyin frowned and glanced out the window. The window was only half open, so she didn't see them.
Hu Bo'er muttered something, and soon lost patience. "Why aren't you coming yet?"
Zhang Junfeng interrupted him, "Can't you speak more quietly? Junsi arrived first, and he might be waiting in the hall. If you want to shout, go elsewhere!"
Shunyin startled. Who was in the hall? Suddenly comprehending, she turned and looked inside.
She hadn't seen anyone when she entered, and she was certain no one was there, so she hadn't looked closely. Only then did she notice that a thin silk screen with a single panel stood before the table in the middle. Behind the screen, a figure sat sideways on the table, and his boots could be vaguely glimpsed at the table's edge.
Shunyin subconsciously took two steps toward that location, and suddenly saw the figure move. With a "whoosh," the thin screen was pushed aside.
She stopped and met his eyes unexpectedly.
Mu Changzhou wore a brocade robe, his hair bound and sleeves secured. He lowered his hands and sat upright, regarding her.
It had been dark last night, and only now could Shunyin see clearly that this was indeed Mu Changzhou.
But the changes were profound. His facial features remained as before, yet he had matured completely. His brows were handsome, his eyes bright, his nose straight, his lips thin. He had cast aside youthful immaturity and appeared fully a man.
They stared at each other in silence for an extended moment, as though engaged in a standoff. Shunyin pressed her lips together and finally spoke first: "Second Brother Mu."
Mu Changzhou, still observing her, said, "I thought Yinniang had forgotten me." His voice was as low and gentle as last night.
Shunyin frowned inwardly. So he had recognized her long ago. She hadn't expected him to address her thus; no one had called her that in years. Had he ever called her that before, when she resided with the Feng family? She hadn't noticed.
Shunyin glanced at him again, recalling what she had just overheard. "After all, it's been years since we last met. Second Brother Mu has changed so profoundly." So profoundly, he could have shot an arrow at her feet.
A smile played upon Mu Changzhou's lips. "It's been years," he acknowledged, suddenly rising and walking out.
Shunyin unconsciously looked up at him, surprised. When had he grown so tall?
Mu Changzhou approached. He stood almost a head taller than her. His brocade robe was loose, but the belt and arm guards were fastened tightly, which only accentuated his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and tall, pine-like figure.
He walked past her, reaching the doorway, waved his hand outward, and turned to ask, "How many years have we been apart?"
Shunyin returned to her senses and considered briefly, "Seven years."
Mu Changzhou seemed to recall the past and nodded. "Thinking carefully, it's been seven years since you refused the marriage proposal at the Qujiang Night Banquet."
His tone was calm, as though casually remarking upon a trivial matter, but Shunyin was reminded of that night and thought of her father. Just as she lowered her eyes, she suddenly sensed something was amiss and turned to regard him.
Mu Changzhou had already departed the hall: "Let's go."
Shunyin stood stunned. What had he just said? Refusing a marriage proposal? He actually knew that she had refused a marriage proposal?!
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