Pei Rusong walked out of the Grand Princess Manor in a daze. He bypassed the main street and turned into a hidden, narrow alley nearby.

A simple, blue-cloth carriage was waiting there. The Pei Manor attendant, Chang Feng, poked his head out. As soon as he saw him, he immediately jumped down from the carriage with a large cloak, hurriedly wrapping Pei Rusong into a ball. He was about to take the object from his hands when he felt that Pei Rusong's body was as cold as ice, and couldn't help but be alarmed. "There's a hand warmer in the carriage! Young Master, quickly get in and warm up! I told you to wear more clothes, why must you abuse your body like this? You're frozen through!"

But Pei Rusong turned aside, avoiding his hand. He hugged the square wooden box like a miser hugging his gold and unsteadily boarded the carriage. His thin shoulder blades pressed against the carriage wall as he slowly let out a long, cold breath from the depths of his lungs.

The anxiety that had been tormenting him, and yet also sustaining him, these past few days finally dispersed like dark clouds. It was as if half his life had been drained from him in an instant, and he was on the verge of collapse.

Seeing his pale face, even more haggard than before, Chang Feng grew anxious. "What's wrong? How could you get so tired just from going out to play the zither? Should we go and call a doctor?"

"It's nothing. Back to the manor," Pei Rusong murmured in a low voice. "If I told you, it would scare you to death... I'm about to... become a Prince Consort again..."

...

Chang Feng clutched his head and screamed, "It's over! Young Master, you haven't frozen your wits, have you? You're starting to talk nonsense!"

Wen Chan, who had left a step ahead of him, did not return directly to the palace. After her carriage left the street of the Princess Manor, Wen Chan instructed her attendant, "To Ciyun Temple."

The carriage turned onto Vermilion Bird Avenue. A moment later, Lu Shuo caught up on horseback, forcing the convoy to slow down. He inquired from outside her carriage, "Your Highness is going to Ciyun Temple? This subject has not received an order to leave the city. Forgive me, but I cannot obey."

The moment she saw him, Wen Chan recalled her plans collapsing in her past life. Though she couldn't take her anger out on the present Lu Shuo, she was still furious, feeling that each of these men was more troublesome than the last. "I have already sent word to the palace. We're leaving the city. General Lu, be a bit more flexible. Your duty is to protect me, not to discipline me. Either shut up and follow me, or go back to the palace by yourself."

Lu Shuo was taken aback by her words, not understanding why the princess who had been so understanding in the morning would turn hostile in the afternoon. But she had, after all, just done him a great favor, and the Imperial Guard couldn't just part ways with the princess in the middle of the street. In the end, he took the initiative to concede, lowering his brows and eyes as he replied, "As you command," and ordered the Imperial Guard to continue the escort.

The group rode swiftly out of the city, heading straight for Wanshou Mountain in the capital's outskirts. It was still early when they arrived; the sun had not yet set. Someone had already swept and cleaned Ciyun Temple in advance, and a blue-robed palace attendant stood by the gate with his hands lowered, waiting to receive them. Lu Shuo recognized him as Cheng Xuan, the chief eunuch of Roufu Palace who often served by Wen Chan's side.

The capable people around Wen Chan all had an air that was neither servile nor overbearing, a temperament completely different from other palace servants. This was especially prominent in Cheng Xuan. If one did not know his background, judging by his appearance and bearing alone, he seemed superior to some of the young masters from the capital's prominent families.

Moreover, Lu Shuo didn't know if he was being overly suspicious, but Cheng Xuan's shoulders were straight and his back erect. His every move was steady and powerful, unlike a palace attendant accustomed to bowing his head and stooping, and more like a well-trained guard.

"Your Highness." Cheng Xuan stepped forward and reported in a low voice, "Partridge was ordered to convene 'Deep Forest,' and they are waiting in the meditation room."

Lu Shuo's hearing was excellent and he was standing close, so he heard every single word. Just as suspicion arose in his heart, he saw Wen Chan's gaze, sharp as lightning, turn to look at him.

'What does this mean? Is she going to silence me?'

Wen Chan suddenly smiled and made an inviting gesture. "Have the Imperial Guard stand watch in the courtyard. General, you will come inside with me."

He vaguely felt that he had stepped onto some kind of edge, but whether a deep pit or a cliff lay ahead, he couldn't tell.

In the moment he hesitated, Wen Chan had already taken the lead toward the meditation room in the west courtyard. Lu Shuo ordered his men to disperse and guard the temple, while he followed Wen Chan's steps, maintaining a distance of half a step behind her.

A stove was burning in the meditation room, filling it with the pleasant fragrance of tea, but the atmosphere was quite cold, as if no one knew each other. Inside were three men of different ages, some standing and some sitting, all keeping a distance from one another. There was another person standing closest to the door, completely wrapped up, their face hidden by a black-veiled hat, making it impossible to tell if they were male or female.

Seeing Wen Chan enter, they all rose and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness." Wen Chan raised a hand to dismiss the courtesy. "You've been waiting long. Please, sit and let's talk."

Cheng Xuan received Wen Chan's glance, bowed slightly, and withdrew from the meditation room, closing the door behind him. Wen Chan pointed to Lu Shuo and said, "Allow me to introduce you. This is Young Master Lu, Lu Shuo, a Major General in the Left Divine Army. Next year, he will be transferred to Wuyuan Commandery to serve under the Duke of Xu, Xiao Dingfang."

The young man in the center heard this and asked aloud, "Could he be the son of the former Grand Governor of Yi Prefecture, Lord Lu Zhonghui?"

Lu Shuo nodded. The young man smiled; he had gentle features and a naturally friendly face. He clasped his hands and bowed. "I have long admired your name. I am Cheng Kai."

He paused, glancing at Wen Chan. When he saw her nod, he continued, "Codename: 'Partridge'."

Lu Shuo: "..."

'So he is the 'Partridge' Cheng Xuan mentioned? And his surname is also Cheng. Is that a coincidence?'

With Cheng Kai having started and with Wen Chan's tacit approval, the others introduced themselves to Lu Shuo in turn. The middle-aged man was named Shi Jifu, codename 'Shrike.' The youth with deep-set features and an exotic appearance was named He Lanzhi, codename 'Peacock.'

Then, everyone's gaze shifted to the silent figure in black.

"Crow."

A faint, androgynous voice floated out from under the veiled hat. After saying that one word, the person turned their head away and ignored everyone.

Lu Shuo glanced at Wen Chan, who chuckled softly. "Yes, Crow is just Crow. You can just call him that."

It seemed his emotions were now too complex to be conveyed with just a look. Lu Shuo didn't care who Crow was; he just wanted to know Wen Chan's purpose in summoning him to a meeting with a flock of birds.

"This matter began three years ago." Wen Chan seemed to have read his mind and began to explain in the calm tone of a storyteller. "I left the palace to reside in Ciyun Temple, ostensibly to observe mourning and pray for the Late Empress. But in truth, I secretly left Zhaojing and traveled the realm with a few trusted confidants. Traveling in disguise from north to south, I, along with a few friends I met along the way, founded 'Deep Forest'."

Lu Shuo: "...Your Highness is extraordinarily brave. I am impressed."

Any discerning person could hear the deafening "outrageous audacity" in his words, but Wen Chan acted as if she hadn't heard and continued, "Only after going out into the world did I understand. The Great Qi Dynasty is said to have been in an era of peace and prosperity for decades, but if you just look down and see the lives of the common people, you'll know those are just empty words. The four borders are restless, and powerful enemies surround us. We are like blind men walking on the edge of a cliff, and sooner or later, we will fall."

"A previous dynasty once established surveillance officers called 'White Egrets,' named for how they crane their necks to see into the distance. The founding intention of Deep Forest was to emulate our predecessors, to place eyes and ears in the most critical locations, monitoring movements in all directions. Like birds looking down from above, we catch the faintest whispers on the wind to seize the initiative against our enemies."

Lu Shuo said coolly, "It certainly sounds good. But does Your Highness realize that your actions, put another way, could also be called 'cultivating a faction and eliminating dissidents'?"

"Young Master Lu is truly clever; you understand at once." Wen Chan clapped twice for him, a fearless smile in her eyes. "So, will you join? If you refuse, you will be the next one eliminated. Think carefully before you answer."

Lu Shuo: "..."

This was utterly absurd. Even mountain bandits knew to offer a couple of decent meals when recruiting someone. Did Wen Chan think she could pull him into her private faction with just a few words? An unmarried princess, with only a handful of minions—where did she get the confidence that she could gather intelligence from across the realm and influence the court?

Lu Shuo flicked his sleeves and rose, saying solemnly, "It is getting late. Your Highness should return to the city as soon as possible. This subject has official duties and has no time to waste playing these children's games with Your Highness."

"Young Master Lu."

Wen Chan remained seated, perfectly composed, her eyes lowered and her expression unchanging. "Don't look down on children's games. If you walk out this door today, I guarantee that when you arrive in Wuyuan Commandery, you won't see a battlefield for three years."

This time, Lu Shuo was genuinely offended. Annoyed, he stopped and was about to retort when he heard Wen Chan continue:

"Do you know the current internal situation of the Chuohan Tribe? Why does Xiao Dingfang, with a great army at his command, still want to pursue a marriage alliance? You want to go and achieve great things, but all His Majesty has to do is say one word about keeping you safe, and Xiao Dingfang will have a perfectly legitimate reason to confine you to camp, sideline you, and leave you able to do nothing but watch."

Cheng Kai and Shi Jifu secretly lowered their heads to stifle their laughter. He Lanzhi laughed cunningly, deliberately fanning the flames, "Your Highness, you don't have to be so detailed."

"What exactly are you trying to do?" Lu Shuo spun around to glare at Wen Chan. "Aren't you afraid I'll report this to His Majesty? Even if His Majesty favors you, could he possibly tolerate you interfering in court politics and forming a private faction?!"

"Yes, go on and report me," Wen Chan replied nonchalantly. "Go and tell my Imperial Father that before you even took up your post, I was already trying to win you over and use you. After all, you're the son of the Grand Governor of Yi Prefecture. Once you're in the army, you'll be like a fish in water, commanding instant obedience..."

Her words disappeared into a drawn-out tone. She didn't finish, but it was enough to make one's heart leap into their throat.

Lu Shuo finally understood. From the moment he had stepped through that door, he had boarded the same pirate ship as Wen Chan. Unless he was willing to gamble with his own future and fate, there was no way for him to escape unscathed.

He gritted his molars, his gaze as cold as a blade, wishing he could bore a hole through Wen Chan with it. "Did Your Highness make a special trip here today, pressuring me at every turn, just to make me your spy in Wuyuan Commandery?"

"Oh, not really. You were just a matter of convenience," Wen Chan said. "What a coincidence, isn't it? I was originally supposed to hear their reports on the movements in the four northern commanderies today. It just so happened you were about to take up your new post, and I thought I could help if possible. I didn't expect Young Master Lu to be so uncompromisingly upright, preferring death to bending his will. I was too forward. Please see yourself out, Young Master Lu. I won't escort you."

In her past life, she had helped Lu Shuo leave the Imperial Guard and transfer to Wuyuan in exchange for him joining 'Deep Forest' and becoming her ally. This time, having done the good deed first, it was indeed harder to get a hold on him.

And she had no idea who it was that had cried and screamed about wanting to be part of the princess's faction after she died. Now he was playing coy.

Lu Shuo: "..."

Lu Shuo: "Can't you just speak normally, without being so sarcastic?"

"Address me as Your Highness!" Wen Chan slammed the table. "Who are you 'you-ing' and 'me-ing'? Is there no respect for the law?!"

"Your Highness, Your Highness..."

With a smile as warm and gentle as a spring breeze, Cheng Kai stepped in to smooth things over. "Your Highness, please calm down. Young Master Lu, please take a seat as well. Since we are all trusted by Your Highness, we're on the same side. Let's talk things over slowly, so as not to spoil the mood."

He Lanzhi sprawled bonelessly on the table and yawned lazily, the corners of his eyes curving into a charming arc. "Your Highness, may I take a nap first?"

Crow squatted in the corner, muttering, "So hungry..."

Wen Chan said, "You see? How sensible they are. If you join us, you'll get to be colleagues with so many sensible people."

Lu Shuo: "..."

He took a deep breath and, swallowing his pride, said, "My apologies, Your Highness. Let's get back to the matter at hand, Your... Highness."