The cold wind on the mountain showed no signs of relenting, ruffling the cat’s fur as she walked. At first, she wrinkled her face and shrank her head back against the chill, but the wind atop the mountain was everywhere. Walking through it, there was no way to avoid it.

Eventually, seeing the Daoist and the jujube-red horse continuing ahead and moving farther away, she hurried to catch up. Once she adjusted to the wind, her face relaxed, as though the biting chill no longer bothered her.

“Daoist priest!”

Her soft, light voice carried through the wind. Without careful listening, it was almost impossible to hear.

“What is it?” the Daoist replied.

“We’ve arrived in Changjing!”

“Yes, we have.”

“This seems like the place where you called the thunder!”

“Yes, it is.”

“And the place where the fox gave us a gift!”

“Yes, that too.”

“I have an amazing memory!”

“Indeed.”

The Daoist kept walking as he looked down toward the valley below.

The winding dirt path along the mountainside remained as it had always been, with a few scattered merchant caravans making their way down toward the city. The small pavilion on the hill still looked the same, though now there was no one playing the zither or pouring wine.

“We’ve traveled so far...”

The calico cat stretched her neck to peer down at the scene below.

Her fur moved with the wind, giving her a bold and spirited appearance.

The cat’s understanding of the world was unlike that of humans. Being young, she lacked a sense of geography, direction, or distance. She didn’t fully grasp how she had spent nearly three years on this journey.

She only remembered some of the more memorable place names, the amusing experiences she had, the unfamiliar mountains and rivers, the endless grasslands, and the snowfields so deep that they could bury her entire body. All she knew was that she had followed the Daoist out of Changjing, and now, they had returned to Changjing.

As for what shape this journey took in her mind, it was something no one could possibly know.

“Indeed...”

The Daoist nodded in agreement, turning his gaze to the cat walking briskly through the wind. “Back in Changjing, you were once bullied by others. But without realizing it, you’ve grown into a great demon who can repel mountain bears and battle tiger demons.”

“

Humph

!”

The cat turned her head to look at him, her expression mixed with pride and a hint of embarrassment.

Memories surfaced in her mind. Comparing Lady Calico from three years ago to the Lady Calico of today, the changes felt wondrous to her. Time and experience seemed to take on a tangible form, something with weight—even in the heart of a cat.

But she didn’t know how to describe it or express it, so she simply walked ahead of the Daoist in small, quick steps. Occasionally, she turned her head to look up at him, her reflective eyes fixed unwaveringly on him.

“Quite fascinating, isn’t it?” The Daoist smiled at her.

“...”

The cat quickly averted her gaze without replying. Instead, she quickened her pace, sprinting ahead to the edge of the path. From the mountainside, she looked down at the sprawling city of Changjing below.

Her eyes roamed, as though searching for something familiar.

She turned back to look at the Daoist again.

The Daoist’s gaze followed her every move.

Then the cat said, “I can see our house...”

“It’s just the house we once stayed in.”

“The house we once stayed in!”

𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

“It might already have new occupants.”

“What do we do then?”

“We’ll find another place to stay. We still have plenty of the money you earned saved up. We haven't spent much of it yet.”

“I like that house.”

“Then we’ll go take a look.”

“Go take a look!”

“But don’t get your hopes up too high.”

“There’s someone there!”

“Where?”

“Outside the city gate!”

“There are always lots of people at the city gate.”

“Someone we know!”

“What’s their name?”

“General Chen!”

“Ah...”

The Daoist lifted his head and gazed toward the city gate in the distance. In the deepening twilight, a figure indeed stood there.

“...”

The Daoist chuckled softly but did not slow his pace.

He descended the mountain along the dirt road, pausing briefly to glance again at the small pavilion on the hill before continuing down the now-widening path toward the city.

The figure at the city gate grew clearer as he approached.

Sure enough, it was General Chen.

General Chen had shed his armor, now dressed in the formal robes of a military officer. He carried no weapons and stood quietly at the gate. His tall, broad-shouldered frame filled out the robes, making him resemble a pine tree or a mountain.

Surrounding him were several sturdy young men in red robes, their heads wrapped in turbans, leather belts fastened at their waists. They were armed with ring-hilted long swords, bows, and quivers, dressed in the typical attire of military attendants common in Great Yan, especially in Changjing.

However, the palpable aura of killing intent around them was far beyond that of ordinary city officials. It seemed that all they would need was a suit of fine armor and a long spear, and they would once again become the loyal guards capable of protecting their commander while charging through the northern frontier armies.

The group scattered slightly around the gate, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.

One of them spotted the Daoist in the distance, his expression immediately tightening as he turned to alert the general. However, he quickly noticed that the general was already looking in the same direction. With a pat to brush the dust from his robe, General Chen began walking toward the approaching figure.

The attendants hurriedly followed him.

Before long, the Daoist, cat, and horse came to a halt. The general, flanked by his attendants, also stopped. The two parties faced each other.

“Greetings, sir,” General Chen said with a calm but respectful tone. He then inclined his head slightly toward the cat. “And greetings to Lady Calico.”

“Greetings, General,” the Daoist replied with a bow. “It has been a year. How have you been?”

“

Meow

!” the cat chimed in softly.

“I’ve been doing well enough for now,” he replied.

“And how did you know we would return to Changjing around this time?”

“I heard some things about what happened in Guangzhou and knew that you were likely to return this way,” General Chen explained. “So I stationed men along the official road to keep an eye out. A few days ago, I received word, so I’ve been waiting at the gate each day for your arrival.”

“I heard you’ve been made a marquis, General. How could I trouble you to go to such lengths?” the Daoist asked.

“If not for you, sir, there would have been no great northern victory, and I would have no title to speak of,” General Chen replied calmly. “Moreover, I am merely a soldier from the north. Here in Changjing, you are the only one I can truly call an old friend.”

“I see.” Song You smiled faintly.

The last time he came to Changjing, Heroine Wu had been waiting at the city gate. She had done so because she had no other old friends in the city. Unexpectedly, on this return to Changjing, someone was waiting for him at the gate once more—and for nearly the same reason as Heroine Wu almost four years ago.

“Please, sir.” General Chen stepped aside, gesturing with a polite wave. “You’ve traveled a long way, and it’s only right that I host a banquet to welcome you and treat you to a meal.”

Song You did not refuse. He merely nodded and said, “Then I’ll trouble you, General.”

“Perfect timing,” General Chen replied with a small self-deprecating laugh and a softening of his tone. “The best Song River perch has just been brought in from the countryside for the end of autumn and beginning of winter. Let’s head to Yunchun Restaurant and see if they’ll prepare a fresh dish for you.

“Honestly, since my return to Changjing, I haven’t dared to accept invitations from others, nor have I hosted any banquets. Today, I can take advantage of your visit as an exception.”

“You’re quite eloquent, General.”

“I mean it sincerely.”

The Daoist and the general walked side by side, passing through the city gate and entering the city proper. Behind them trailed the jujube-red horse, flanked by a few personal guards. Above, a swallow glided gracefully over the city walls.

Lady Calico followed close to the Daoist, her eyes shifting curiously as she observed the familiar city with an unusual gaze.

In the shadows, many unseen eyes were watching.

The general’s guards swept their gazes over the onlookers. However, they quickly moved on.

The guards around General Chen were no ordinary men. In the

jianghu

, while they might not rival Shu Yifan of a few years ago, most would still be considered top-tier experts. Having experienced countless battles, these guards could easily spot the so-called hidden spies who thought themselves undetectable. What might elude the sheltered officials of the capital stood out to these guards like demons hiding in plain sight.

However, this was Changjing. Under the general’s orders, they acted as if they had seen nothing.

As they walked, Song You and General Chen Ziyi reminisced, sharing stories about what had happened since the Daoist left.

They strolled leisurely through the city, eventually arriving at Yunchun Restaurant.

A guard had already gone ahead to reserve a table for them.

Yunchun Restaurant, which usually required reservations, suddenly did not. The previously limited supply of Song River perch became freely available, and even a fully booked private room was miraculously cleared for their use.

The Daoist took out Lady Calico’s specially reserved small bowl and placed it on the table. Moments later, a procession of attendants entered gracefully, bringing golden goblets of fine wine and jade platters of exquisite delicacies, dish after dish, to the table.

“General, this is quite extravagant,” the Daoist remarked.

“It’s a rare occasion,” General Chen replied, his expression calm. He glanced at the cat who had lightly hopped onto the table, then looked out the window. “Where is the swallow that follows you?”

“My swallow is shy and dislikes human food. I let him roam freely instead of making him uncomfortable,” the Daoist explained.

“I see.”

“When did you return to Changjing?”

“This spring.”

“And in the past six months, has His Majesty shown any intention of sending you back to the north?”

“...”

General Chen shook his head silently and poured himself a cup of wine.

Song You poured a cup for himself as well. Noticing the cat staring eagerly at him, he smiled and poured a little into her bowl too.

Though the Daoist’s ability to manipulate objects was not particularly advanced, it had become increasingly skillful in its simplicity. While he appeared to pour wine from the jug, what emerged was a soothing hangover soup[1], already transferred into another specially prepared vessel.

“I raise a toast to you, sir, and to Lady Calico.”

“Thank you for your hospitality, General.”

“

Meow

...”

“Please, sir, feel free to use your chopsticks. Don’t stand on ceremony. Although this is more comfortable than conditions in the army, treat it as casually as you would in the army.”

“Of course.”

The Daoist was the first to pick up his chopsticks.

The Song River perch was in its prime season. Prepared with no unnecessary complications, it was steamed with ginger and scallions and finished with a drizzle of soy sauce. Song You picked a tender piece of meat from the belly and placed it into Lady Calico’s bowl.

General Chen, who had just taken up his chopsticks, paused upon seeing this. Only after the Daoist served him a portion did he begin eating. As they ate, General Chen spoke, “His Majesty’s health is worsening.”

“So the rumors are true?”

“They are,” General Chen replied, helping himself to a piece of the perch. “When I first heard about it in the north, even though my sources were reliable, I thought it might be a ruse orchestrated by the State Preceptor and His Majesty.

“But after returning to the capital and seeing His Majesty in person… His age has caught up to him. Perhaps the rumors of him being shaken by an attempted assassination by a minor Western kingdom are false, but his declining health is undoubtedly real.”

“What about Princess Changping?”

“She’s still under house arrest. The court has been fiercely debating how to handle her. She’s committed a capital offense, but given her deep bond with His Majesty—having personally helped him ascend to the throne and loyally assisted him for twenty or thirty years to create this prosperous era—it’s not an easy matter. His Majesty is old, and old people… They are both quick to harden their resolve and quick to soften their hearts.”

It seemed that the political storms in the capital had been far more tumultuous than the rumors circulating among the common folk suggested.

The Emperor’s advanced age and rapidly deteriorating health acted like an ominous harbinger, driving both him and Princess Changping to urgency. At the same time, the growing maturity of the two imperial princes only served to accelerate the situation further.

Song You could sense the general’s underlying worries.

Often, when a formidable emperor eliminated meritorious officials or military generals, it was not out of fear for his own position. Such emperors were confident and bold, assured of their ability to keep these figures under control. However, their confidence did not extend to their successors. They worried whether the younger heirs would have the same strength or capability to manage these powerful figures.

Thus, the Emperor, aware of his nearing end, acted decisively, removing Princess Changping with ruthless efficiency.

And what of this Marquis of Wuan?

It was clear that General Chen carried a weight he seldom shared with others—a burden likely tied to these very concerns.

“Haha!” General Chen laughed twice, his tone open and resolute. “Sir, you’ve just returned to the capital. What good is it to dwell on these matters? Let us enjoy the food and wine to the fullest. Tomorrow’s troubles can wait for tomorrow.”

With that, they turned their focus to the meal, savoring the fine dishes and drink. Their conversation shifted to lighter topics—the changes in Changjing over the past three years and court discussions about revitalizing the northern prefectures. These subjects were touched on only briefly, treated as nothing more than small talk to accompany their wine and meal.

1. Hangover soup refers to every kind of soup eaten as a hangover cure. ☜