Ashes to Crown

Chapter 258: Chapter 64: Two Sides

’Her father had come to meet her. He must have been worried she’d been frightened.’

After a brief exchange, the party immediately headed back to the city. Since they weren’t far, they hadn’t brought any spare horses.

Zhong Changrong was about to order a few soldiers to dismount and walk, but Chu Zhao had already grabbed Xie Yanlai’s arm. ”No, no, that’s not necessary,” she said, waving her hand. ”I’ll be fine with Ah Jiu.”

Xie Yanlai frowned and shook her off, but said nothing.

Chu Ling, who was being helped onto his horse by Zhong Changrong, looked in their direction.

Xie Yanlai met his gaze.

Even knowing the man was now blind, he still felt a little uneasy.

Chu Ling smiled. ”Many thanks, Captain Xie. My apologies for troubling you a little longer.”

’What’s so hard for this brat—’ Zhong Changrong glared at Xie Yanlai. The stinking brat rolled his eyes at him. ’See? How detestable.’

Xie Yanlai watched as Chu Zhao mounted, then vaulted up behind her. He cracked the whip, urging the horse forward.

”Father!” Chu Zhao called out, leaning forward.

Chu Ling smiled and gently patted his horse’s head. Without any guidance, the horse quickened its pace, trotting to catch up.

Zhong Changrong gave a command from the rear, and the silent soldiers’ horses trod through the snow.

...

...

Upon returning to the city with Chu Ling, the generals were already waiting. They dispensed with excessive formalities, however. After greeting him, they took their leave to allow the father and daughter to speak in private.

”It’s been almost two years since Miss Ah Zhao left the Border County, hasn’t it?”

”Yes, a very long time. It’s truly a long-awaited reunion for father and daughter.”

The generals departed, murmuring amongst themselves.

Xie Yanlai did not stay behind either. He left to meet Xiao Man and Ah Le, calculating that they should be arriving soon.

”Please, talk freely,” Zhong Changrong said in a low voice. ”I’ll stand guard outside.”

The door closed, leaving the father and daughter alone in the room. As they removed their cloaks, the warmth from the charcoal fire softened their frigid robes.

Chu Zhao looked at her father, who was seated in a chair.

”What are you staring at?” Chu Ling asked with a smile. ”Are you afraid this is a dream and you can’t believe it’s real?”

Chu Zhao sniffled and nodded.

Chu Ling beckoned to her. Chu Zhao stepped forward and knelt before him.

”Ah Zhao, dream or not, what matters is that you live with a clear mind,” Chu Ling said. Then he added, ”The truth is, I’ve gone blind.”

Chu Zhao froze. She looked into her father’s eyes—they were still so warm, so full of life.

”This time,” Chu Ling said, his warm eyes fixed on her, ”I must leave you again.”

...

...

Heavy snows brought bitter cold to the Border County, while the Capital City, too, entered its coldest season.

But with a constant stream of victory reports parading through the streets, even the cold winter felt cheerful.

Several officials were walking through the Imperial City, each clutching a stack of documents. They chatted and laughed as they went, until one of them suddenly stopped.

”My lords, please go on ahead to see the Grand Tutor,” he said with a smile. ”I’ve just remembered something I need to attend to.”

The other officials smiled and bid him do as he pleased, watching him head off in a different direction.

”’Attend to something’?” one of them muttered. ”He’s going to show the military reports from the Northwest to Third Young Master Xie.”

”Military and government affairs are supposed to be handled by the Grand Tutor,” another official said, his expression grim.

A third one shook his head and chuckled. ”If Third Young Master Xie wants to call the shots, how could the Grand Tutor possibly stop him?”

That was true. The three exchanged a glance. The grim-faced official frowned in resignation as he watched their colleague walk away. ”It’s so blatant now, completely out in the open. It used to be done in private, but now he does it so brazenly.”

...

...

Xie Yanfang looked at the document the official offered but did not take it. ”Military reports from the Border County should be sent directly to the Grand Tutor,” he said. ”There’s no need to show them to me first.”

The official said, ”I am aware, but this one is rather special.”

’Special?’

Xie Yanfang reached out, took the document, and flipped it open. ”Ah, military merits. There’s even less reason for me to see this. The Border County is the priority right now. Whatever General Chu asks for, he gets.”

The official reached over, turned two pages, and pointed to a specific line. ”The military merits should certainly be granted,” he said in a low voice, ”but these two men—”

Xie Yanfang’s gaze fell upon the line. He saw two names.

He remarked, ”For Mr. Liang and his son to trade the scholar’s brush for the sword at a time like this... they are certainly men of courage.”

The official said, ”Who knows what connections Mr. Liang and his son pulled to land this opportunity. Not only that, but they’ve earned military honors. Their crimes are instantly negated, and their official status has been restored.”

Xie Yanfang said, ”This is what they mean when they say heroes are forged in times of chaos.”

The official let out a short laugh. ”Third Young Master Xie, now is not the time for such sentiments. Shall we destroy this document?”

Xie Yanfang looked up at him and smiled. ”And why would we do that?”

”The Liang Family was convicted because of the Xie family,” the official said. ’Has Third Young Master Xie forgotten? Impossible. He has a perfect memory.’

If the Liang Family is rewarded with an official post, it would be like a dead tree springing back to life. No enemy would want to witness such a thing.

The Liang Family harbors a grudge. They will become a threat to the Xie family.