"A girl like you shouldn't bear the heavy burden of revenge; just live your own life well." This was the Prince's greatest wish as he lay dying, believing he wanted their daughter to live a happy life.
"Don't worry, I cherish my life and won't do anything beyond my capabilities. This revenge still needs to be exacted. Even if we wish to forget, others won't allow it. What happened last night will happen again. How can one always guard against a thief?" Wu Caiwei smiled at her.
"Can't you just let us go? Your father passed away more than a decade ago, leaving only one daughter. Can't you let us live in peace instead of wanting to eradicate us completely?" She had asked herself this question countless times in her heart, knowing no one would answer, but merely venting her frustrations.
Although the eldest daughter-in-law remained worried as she stepped out of the Ye family's gate, her heart felt considerably lighter.
Meanwhile, Wu Caiwei quickly sent a letter to Ye Xingli, briefly recounting the events. He rushed back, and the couple spent a long time in their room sharing intimate conversation.
The next day, the Ye family discovered that the two had left without a word. No one knew where they had gone.
Now, the couple, along with Li Dahu, rode their horses northward. The further north they went, the harsher the climate and sparser the population became.
The group traveled to Binzhou, the largest prefectural city in the north. On the busiest and most prosperous street, only a few people ambled about, each with a dejected expression, clearly indicating their difficult lives.
Indeed, the north had been in turmoil in recent years, with nomadic tribes frequently raiding and plundering southward. Those who could leave had already departed; only those with no other options remained.
They found the last inn in the prefectural city and settled in, quietly gathering information. Despite their discreet actions, the sparse population here meant there were always spies mixed in, resulting in much stricter surveillance than elsewhere. From the moment they entered the prefectural city, they had been under observation.
Wu Caiwei and Ye Xingli had long since noticed their presence, so they deliberately revealed some clues, prompting their pursuers to approach them.
That afternoon, as they returned to the inn after gathering information, a troop of soldiers arrived and surrounded the establishment.
Watching them rudely kick open the door, Wu Caiwei couldn't help but furrow her brow at their lack of manners.
The leading general intended to utter some harsh words, but his gaze inadvertently drifted to the jade pendant on Wu Caiwei's waist. His pupils contracted, and he scanned them with a scrutinizing look as he questioned, "Who are you? Where are you from?"
Ye Xingli quickly produced his identification documents and handed them over. General Liu meticulously verified them before respectfully stating, "It is Young Master Ye. Forgive our oversight. We did not expect you and Madam to visit the frontier. May I inquire about your purpose?"
"Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. We grew bored staying in the capital for too long and wished to come to the frontier to witness the marvels of the desert. We didn't expect to trouble you," Ye Xingli promptly adopted a dashing demeanor, perfectly portraying the carefree attitude of a young master from a prominent family.
"If Young Master Ye does not mind, would you grace my humble abode with your presence? It would allow me to fulfill my duties as a host. Oh, forgive my oversight, my surname is Liu, and my name is Liu An, a lieutenant general."
"Oh, so you are Lieutenant General Liu. I have long admired your reputation. We shall then impose upon you and your wife," he said, looking at Liu An with a haughty air, as if gracing Liu's home with their presence was an immense favor.
Some of the men behind Liu An found this unacceptable and wanted to step forward to debate with him, but Lieutenant General Liu quickly restrained them.
"What? You're not convinced? I am a young master from the capital, and my father is a third-rank official. Even your general has to bow to him."
Seeing the other man looking at him smugly, he truly wished to fight him. These young masters from capital families were all incompetent wastrels, arrogant and overbearing.
"Young Master Ye, please do not take offense. He is from the countryside and an orphan; he was never taught and does not understand many customs," Lieutenant General Liu quickly tried to smooth things over.
"You are quite alright. For your sake, I will let him off this time. If he acts like this again, I will have my men give him a good beating," Ye Xingli said, patting his shoulder as if to encourage him, while casting a critical glance at the general behind him.
"Yes, yes..." Unseen by anyone, he nervously wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead.
Under his escort, the two chatted intermittently as they slowly walked towards his residence.
Upon entering the courtyard, Ye Xingli couldn't help but frown. It was too shabby! In the capital, even his servants didn't live in such places. He hadn't expected this to be considered a relatively decent guest room. He looked around with disdain and, finding no other option, reluctantly agreed to stay.
In the afternoon, his wife specifically arranged a welcome banquet for them. Throughout the feast, the young master's picky remarks could be heard. Soon, everyone knew that Lieutenant General Liu's home had received an ancestral tablet.
As night fell, Lieutenant General Liu, avoiding others, came to Wu Caiwei's room. The moment the door closed, he immediately knelt and kowtowed respectfully to her, saying excitedly, "May I know what instructions the young mistress has?"
"We have come to Binzhou this time for a specific matter. I wonder how many of my father's former subordinates are still usable." In the days they had been in Binzhou, they had gathered some information. She trusted him because she had once been a "night owl," hiding on rooftops and secretly observing him every night at a certain hour, dusting the memorial tablet of the Free King and recounting his day's events.
From his words, it was evident how much he missed the Free King and their youthful affection. They had deliberately led the soldiers to them. When they saw him leading the troops for inspection from the second floor, they quickly attached the token sent by his mother to their waists. As expected, upon seeing it, he immediately changed his attitude.
"After the King passed away, we scattered across the land. The north has been frequently at war, and life has been harsh. Many were unwilling to come. We, the former subordinates of the Free King, were ostracized. We never received any good opportunities, but we were always the first to face trouble. Consequently, over the years, some died in battle, some resigned, and others switched allegiance. However, there are few we can trust," Lieutenant General Liu recalled the hardships of the past years, his eyes welling up with tears. If the King were still alive, they would never have reached their current predicament.
"Tomorrow, summon them all. I have something important to tell them."
"Yes."
Without asking any questions, he readily agreed. He had suspected foul play in his master's death years ago. For the sake of the future queen's words, he had endured for so many years. Now that the young mistress was finally making a move, he was filled with anticipation.
True to his word, the next night, as everyone scaled the wall under the cover of darkness to gather secretly in the courtyard, Wu Caiwei recounted the events of that year in detail. Guessing was one thing; hearing it firsthand from the young mistress was another. The hearts of all present churned.