"General Lu."

Wen Chan propped open the meditation room's wooden window. The cold winter mountain wind poured in through the cracks, instantly blowing away the warmth inside. The lighthearted chat and bright laughter from just a moment ago seemed like an illusory dream. After waking from the dream, the underlying color of reality was still icy and gray, forcing one to simply tighten their expression and continue forward.

Lu Shuo asked, "Does Your Highness have any instructions?"

"Xiao Dingfang has been operating in Wuyuan Commandery for many years. He is deeply entrenched and not an easy opponent to deal with," Wen Chan said. "After you take up your post, whether you're investigating him or seeking merit on the battlefield, you must watch your back. Whatever you do, don't get yourself trapped. The Lu Family is full of loyal martyrs; it doesn't need another one from you."

She remembered from her past life that after Lu Shuo took up his post in Wuyuan Commandery, he once suffered an extremely perilous injury. If He Lanzhi hadn't pulled him out from the chaotic army, he probably would have gone to see his ancestors. For this reason, the Emperor summoned Lu Shuo back to the Capital City to recuperate, intending for him to retake command of the Imperial Guard. Thus, Wen Chan had ordered people to secretly contact censors to impeach Xiao Dingfang on various charges, such as corruption, accepting bribes, and tolerating bandits to increase his own importance. Upon hearing the news, Xiao Dingfang hurriedly sought help from Consort Xiao in the rear palace and his old acquaintances at court. Too many people pleading on his behalf instead aroused the Emperor's dissatisfaction, who then ordered a strict investigation. In the end, his crimes were verified. Xiao Dingfang was demoted to the Prefect of Yinan, and Lu Shuo was consequently reinstated.

Lu Shuo probably thought she was just speaking pleasantries. When it came to the dangers of the battlefield, he, at least, came from the Imperial Guard and knew far more than a princess of noble birth like her. "Please rest assured, Your Highness. I know my limits and will not delay your affairs."

Wen Chan couldn't explain in too much detail, nor did she have a way to, so she could only sigh. "After the new year, when your transfer order comes down, I will send Peacock over."

She didn't directly say 'you can discuss any difficulties with him,' but Lu Shuo's mind was probably sharper than a strand of hair. He keenly asked, "What does Your Highness mean by this?"

Wen Chan asked in return, "If I wanted the birds to always be circling and rushing about outside, then why would I call it Deep Forest and not the Vast Sky?"

Lu Shuo was puzzled. "That name, doesn't it come from the line 'in the deep forest, no one knows'?"

Wen Chan: "..."

"By your logic, we might as well just rename ourselves 'The Uninvolved,'" Wen Chan said irritably. "Deep Forest is a place for birds to perch and rest, a place to land when they can no longer fly in the sky. I am indeed using you, or as you put it, forming a faction for personal gain. But before your abilities are great enough to seek personal gain for me, I must first ensure you can reach that position."

"General Lu, some people hope you don't leave the capital, and some people hope that once you leave, you never return. You carry many burdens, but beneath all of them, the most important thing is yourself."

"You must at least have a future before you can speak of the future being long."

When she said this, she reined in her joking tone, becoming uncharacteristically serious. Her attitude could almost be called solemn, and even Lu Shuo was taken aback by this solemnity. He was silent for a moment before nodding and saying, "I will remember that."

The corners of Wen Chan's lips curved into a very slight arc, but it was fleeting. She quickly returned to her usual calm demeanor and turned to walk out the door. "Let's go. Back to the palace."

Lu Shuo suddenly said, "Why me?"

Wen Chan: "Hm?"

Lu Shuo said, "Your Highness has been planning to expand Deep Forest and cultivate trusted aides for three years. Since you attach so much importance to this matter, why did you decide to pull me in on the spur of the moment today? Don't you think it's too hasty?"

Wen Chan let out a laugh. "If I don't win you over before you've risen up, will it still be my turn to make a move once you become the Military Governor of Wuyuan?"

"With Your Highness giving advice and making plans from behind the scenes, anyone else could climb to that position just the same. Why did you choose me specifically?" Lu Shuo asked, getting straight to the point. "What is it about me that is worth Your Highness's schemes?"

"If you like to eat rice, you don't have to know how to grow it, but you should at least be able to tell a rice seedling from a wheat seedling."

Wen Chan stopped in her tracks but didn't turn around. "General Lu, don't underestimate yourself so much. There aren't that many people like you."

"As for what I want—"

In her last life, she wanted the people she left behind after her death to be able to live on well, just like that phrase she always used to say, 'the future is long.' It was a pity that in the end, chaos reigned, people scattered, the kingdom was broken and families were ruined—a total defeat.

"When you are able to do it, I will tell you."

The next day, the Emperor summoned Princess Chiming. He first asked about Grand Princess Ningsi's recent situation, then changed the subject. "I heard that after you left Ningsi's yesterday, you went to Ciyun Temple. Why did you go running over there again when you just recently returned?"

Without so much as twitching an eyebrow, Wen Chan answered smoothly, "Your child-subject once offered a few hand-copied sutra scrolls before the Buddha. I remembered this yesterday when I left the palace, so I went to retrieve them on my way. I just brought two of them to Eunuch Liang. If Father Emperor doesn't find them too crude, you may keep them to look at."

The scriptures for the Emperor were just a cover. In truth, when she was leaving the temple yesterday, she had suddenly remembered Pei Rusong telling her how Wen Zhuo, after ascending the throne, became superstitious about alchemy and ended up eating himself to death with golden elixirs. A sudden rage rose in her heart, and she ordered Cheng Xuan to buy a stack of scriptures and send them to Wen Zhuo, telling him to properly immerse himself in the Buddhist dharma, cultivate his mind, and stop thinking about those worthless golden elixirs all day long.

Late that night, Wen Zhuo inexplicably received a pile of scriptures. Since they were a gift from the princess, he couldn't very well refuse them. Utterly bewildered, he thanked Cheng Xuan, returned to his study, and hastily flipped through them. His dreams that night were filled with 'Om Mani Padme Hum.'

The explanation was very persuasive. The Emperor smiled faintly. "That was thoughtful of you." However, on second thought, he remembered the reason for her deep study of Buddhism, and the light in his eyes couldn't help but dim. But seeing Wen Chan's face as calm as still water, composed and unruffled, the feeling of paternal love in his heart immediately gained the upper hand. He asked in a gentle voice, "The portraits sent by the Department of the Imperial Household, how have you found them? Is there anyone you are pleased with?"

Wen Chan thought for a moment, then smiled. "I was just about to speak of this. Your child-subject has looked through all those scrolls. They are all talented young men, so there's nothing to complain about. It's just that in the entire collection, there is not a single 'Pei'—I recall that the Pei Clan is also a great clan in the capital, with many members serving as officials at court. Is there some reason for this?"

Her question was a sharp one. The Emperor was visibly startled and answered subconsciously, "The Pei Clan is a prominent clan of Bozhou, a prestigious family with generations of officials. They have always only intermarried with a few other distinguished families and do not hold dukes or ministers in high regard..."

As he spoke, even he himself realized something was wrong. The Pei Clan was proud of its noble and pure family status and had not formed marriage alliances with the imperial clan for many years, publicly declaring their unwillingness to curry favor. Their contemporaries greatly admired this, and coupled with the fact that the Pei Clan had produced important ministers for several consecutive generations, the Son of Heaven had always treated their family with courtesy and never forced the issue.

In the past, when the imperial family selected consorts or sons-in-law, they would deliberately avoid the Pei surname, knowing the clan's old custom. However, respect was one thing, but it didn't mean the Pei Family could privately evade selection. The Emperor had clearly issued an edict for the Department of the Imperial Household to select sons of suitable age from among the dukes and ministers, yet the Pei Family couldn't even be bothered to put on an act—no matter how noble the Pei Clan was, could they be more noble than imperial power? Who gave them the audacity to scorn imperial authority?

"Among the scrolls sent by the Department of the Imperial Household, is there truly not a single son of the Pei Clan?"

Wen Chan nodded innocently. "That is indeed the case. Perhaps Father Emperor should summon someone to ask?"

The more the Emperor thought about it, the angrier he became. He said indignantly, "What's the point of asking them? Don't waste the effort! Liang Jiang!"

The eunuch Liang Jiang, who was guarding the outer room, quickly trotted in to receive his orders. "Your slave is here."

"Transmit Our decree: summon Pei Luan for an audience." The Emperor's face was dark, like a gathering storm. "We would like to ask him what fine descendants his Pei Family has raised. Since they are unwilling even to be matched with Our daughter, they might as well stop serving as officials in Our court!"

Liang Jiang was startled. It was rare to see the Son of Heaven so furious, and he quickly accepted the order. Just as he was about to leave, he saw Wen Chan move. She rose from her seat and knelt before the Emperor. "Father Emperor, please calm your anger."

The Emperor said, "What are you doing?"

Wen Chan explained in a gentle voice, "Your child-subject has always heard that the Pei Clan's customs are pure and upright, and that they raise outstanding sons. That is why I paid special attention. I did not know there were such particulars involved. My rash question has incurred Father Emperor's displeasure. It is truly your child-subject's fault."

The Emperor's anger had not yet subsided, and he was still frowning, though his tone eased slightly. "The Pei Family has acted without prudence and offended Our authority. It has nothing to do with you. Help the princess up."

Wen Chan gently pushed away Liang Jiang's supporting hand and said with her head lowered, "Lord Pei has served conscientiously at court, sharing Your Majesty's burdens. To punish a great minister over a personal matter concerning his children would, I fear, tarnish Father Emperor's wise name. Besides, times have changed. The Pei Clan may not necessarily still be following old customs. I fear it is merely that some within the clan are unwilling to compromise, thus creating a situation like the Story of Zhaojun. I ask Father Emperor, for the sake of Lord Pei's many years of dedicated service to the nation, to reconsider. Please order the Department of the Imperial Household to visit them again and inquire, so as to avoid any misunderstanding and also to grant Lord Pei some face."

Liang Jiang stood by, bowed, and felt a cold chill run down his spine as he listened. Regardless of whether Pei Luan was behind this, the Pei Family clearly did not want a marriage alliance with the imperial family. On the surface, the princess's words were absolving the Pei Family, saying that not only did the Pei Clan have sons as talented as pearls and jade, but they also had the intention of getting closer to the Imperial Family; it was only because of certain troublemakers that they were prevented from seeing His Majesty. But if one looked closely, if the Emperor hadn't discovered the trickery today and let them muddle through, then the Pei Family would be the obscured pearl like Wang Zhaojun, and wouldn't the Emperor become the fatuous and easily deceived Emperor of Han? These people relied on their family's prestige to disregard the dignity of the imperial family. Even if they were a century-old, deeply entrenched clan, what did it matter if their decline began today?

Those four words, 'Story of Zhaojun,' were a psychologically devastating blow. After today's events, no matter how unwilling Pei Luan was, he could no longer oppose the Emperor and would have to obediently send his sons for selection. And since the princess had smoothed things over for him before the Emperor, preserving the Pei Family's dignity, it was a favor Pei Luan had no choice but to accept. If the princess ultimately took a liking to his son, he would truly have to swallow his teeth and blood, and still shout 'Long Live Your Majesty' while thanking him for his profound grace.

Otherwise, by using the refusal of an imperial marriage to raise their own prestige, was the Pei Clan finding their ancestral foundation too thick and wanting to thin it out a bit?

Persuaded by her, the anger that had surged in the Emperor's heart subsided somewhat. He felt that he should indeed give the old minister some face and praised her, "It is to your credit that you are so meticulous in your thoughts and can consider the overall situation. We will do as the princess says—Liang Jiang, you will personally make a trip to the Pei Family."

Liang Jiang lowered his head to accept the order. He respectfully helped the princess to her feet, hearing only her calm and gentle voice, as if nothing had happened: "I'll have to trouble you."